Evaluating the effectiveness of irrigation expansion projects in the Gambia
Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the economies of many Sub-Saharan African countries, providing livelihoods for more than half of the region's population. However, challenges such as food insecurity and poverty persist. Development partners have proposed that expanding irrigation could be crucial in ensuring food security and reducing poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Given the impact of climate change, it is essential to reconsider traditional approaches to irrigation expansion in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aims to investigate how irrigation can be expanded in the region through climate-resilient and sustainable methods, using the Gambia as a case study. The research employed the DPSIR framework to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of 14 large-scale irrigation expansion projects in the Gambia. The analysis revealed that despite the economic and technical benefits brought to farmers by the projects, the sustainability of 7 out of 9 completed projects was found to be lacking. Furthermore, 4 of the 5 ongoing projects encountered implementation delays, with two failing to meet their intended targets by the specified closing dates. These issues were ascribed to deficiencies in governing institutions responsible for agricultural project management, inadequate project designs, and the technical and financial incapacity of beneficiary farmers to operate and maintain the installed pump and drip irrigation systems.
Based on these findings, it is evident that project planners should explore the adoption of a farmer-led irrigation approach as a viable strategy for advancing irrigation in the Gambia and other regions in Sub-Saharan Africa. This approach involves implementing development interventions based on the demands or needs of beneficiaries, ensuring their full and effective participation, and applying simple and cost-effective irrigation technologies.