Irrigation in West-African Sahel

Abstract

Irrigation in Sahelian West African countries covers a wide variety of systems and practices. In this paper, we discuss various technical and managerial options including free or controlled submersion, improved inland valleys, flood recession cropping, and full control in small and large irrigation schemes through a classification developed by national experts in five Sahelian countries. Governments are currently promoting two strategies. One is based on large schemes, with foreign or national private investment. The other is based on small private irrigation approches. Water constraints are not very strongly taken into account, as the priority is to develop new schemes in order to reach food security for fast growing cities.