Smallholders Irrigation Support Programme

The programme was designed to support farmers participating in about 180 existing smallholder irrigation schemes, and to develop new schemes, particularly in low-potential areas where the majority of poorer smallholder farmers live. 

The project’s goal was to increase incomes and food security by rehabilitating about 2,000 ha of existing irrigation schemes and developing new irrigation systems over an area of about 500 ha. Specific project activities included:

• strengthening institutional and policy framework, to enable farmers to operate and maintain the irrigation schemes
• building farmers’ capacity to manage and eventually take over full responsibility for their own irrigation schemes
• supporting work on existing and new schemes
• providing training to irrigation management committees and/or water user groups for scheme management and enhanced crop production
• developing linkages between farmers and potential buyers and produce markets

Source: IFAD