Below, an irrigation engineer discusses the challenges of adapting policy to engage with the phenomenon of widespread farmer-led irrigation development.
Mohamed Naouri, Assistant Professor at the Department of Agronomy at Université Mohamed El Bachir El Ibrahimi de Bordj Bou Arréridj, Algeria, advises on what he thinks is key for policy makers to consider when working with farmer-led irrigation development.
I think that developing irrigation technologies for a diversity of farmers and also for the diversity of situations can be a really hard question to solve for irrigation engineers. This is especially true when we are talking about or when it concerns farmers and smallholders from developing countries. The linear model of transferring technology shows its limits so I think that policy makers have to pay more attention to the translation processes. This means not only building on adaptation of technologies to local needs but also building a network of actors who can handle this and who can support such irrigation technologies or such innovations.
Aloysius Mubangizi is a Water and Resources Consultant and advises governments and institutes like the World Bank. He explains some of the tensions between the different actors in farmer-led irrigation development.
Governments are trying to create a scheme that is very expensive and that becomes an issue with budgeting because governments don’t have enough resources. Then they think maybe we could do more if we got farmers involved and developed what they are using and we create a big thing out of it and spend a lot less money as there is less maintenance, less installation. Governments and development partners are now interested in this and want to support the farmer-led line of technology. Because the farmers are already adopters and adapters there is no hardship for them in trying the technology and maintaining it. They already know how to use it and can be helped to do it better.
We need the governments to recognise informal irrigation schemes and be identified. If you see a farmer struggling you can line a canal and then leave it to them and then go – they already know what they’re doing. Translating the technology helps the farmer feel in control and he doesn’t oppose it.