Improving irrigation project planning and implementation processes in Sub-Saharan Africa: Diagnosis and recommendations

Irrigation programs / Planning / Financing / Financial institutions / Irrigation management / Operations / Maintenance / Privatization / Cost recovery

L’irrigation diminue-t-elle en France ? Premiers enseignements du recensement agricole de 2010

L’analyse des données du recensement agricole de 2010 permet de dresser un panorama de l’irrigation en France aujourd’hui et des principales évolutions depuis celui de 2000. Malgré une stabilité apparente des superficies irriguées, due à une hausse conjoncturelle des surfaces irriguées au printemps 2010, nous mettons en évidence, pour la première fois depuis plus de 40 ans, un recul net des surfaces équipées pour l’irrigation. C’est essentiellement dans le Sud de la France que l’irrigation est en net recul et ce recul concerne très majoritairement les surfaces anciennement irriguées à partir de réseaux collectifs d’irrigation. Les orientations de la Politique Agricole Commune, la mise en ½uvre progressive de la Directive Cadre européenne sur l’Eau et un contexte économique plus favorable que par le passé aux cultures non irriguées sont les principaux facteurs explicatifs de ce recul de l’irrigation. Nous montrons que ceci risque toutefois de compliquer la gestion de la ressource en eau à l’échelle du bassin-versant d’une part et celle des réseaux collectifs d’irrigation, d’autre part. / The analysis of the 2010 agricultural census data provides an overview of the current situation of irrigation in France and the main evolutions since 2000. Despite an apparent stability of the irrigated area, due to a 2010 dry spring requiring unusual irrigation levels, we highlight, for the first time in 40 years, a reduction in the irrigable area (i.e. the area that can be irrigated). This reduction mainly concerns the South of France and the area irrigated by collective irrigation systems. The orientations of the Common Agricultural Policy, the implementation of the Water Framework Directive and an economic context more favorable to rainfed crops compared to irrigated ones are the main explanations of this irrigation decrease. We highlight that these evolutions generate a risk of complication in water management both at the river basin level and at the collective irrigation system level

Households' preferences and willingness to pay for multiple use water services in rural areas of South Africa: An analysis based on choice modelling

Financing of multiple use (i.e. domestic and productive) water services was identified as an important ingredient to ensure improved water access for rural poor and broaden livelihood options in South Africa. Following the principles of integrated water resource management (IWRM), efficient, equitable and sustainable investments in improved water services should be based on a thorough understanding of actual demand by consumers. Comprehensive studies looking at multiple use water services are not common in South African rural areas, where most of the economic analyses focus on either domestic or irrigation water demand. This study aims at filling this gap by assessing the household demand for multiple use water services in Sekororo-Letsoalo area in the Limpopo Province. Choice modelling is the approach used to identify the attributes determining demand for water services and quantify their relative importance. Results show that households in rural areas are willing to pay for improvements in water services. Due to the current poor level of water services in the area, users are primarily concerned with basic domestic uses and, consequently, demand for productive uses is low. Only households already relatively well served are interested in engaging in multiple water uses

Research and training in the Olifants and Limpopo basins of southern Africa

This paper describes the contribution of the French researchers seconded to International Water Management Institute (IWMI) by the French Ministry of Agriculture in the Olifants and Limpopo benchmark basins of the Challenge Program on Water and Food. The French researchers made available to IWMI are not only involved in the economic, geographic and agronomic aspects of these projects, but also participate in coordinating and developing synergy between different projects in the basins.L'article décrit la participation des chercheurs français, détachés à l'Institut international de la gestion des ressources en eau (IWMI) par le ministère français de l'Agriculture, aux travaux concernant les bassins hydrographiques de référence Olifants et Limpopo, entrepris dans le cadre du Programme pour relever les défis « Eau et alimentation ». Les scientifiques français mis à la disposition de l'IWMI ne sont pas seulement investis dans les dimensions économiques, géographiques et agronomiques de ces programmes de recherche et de formation, ils contribuent également à la coordination des différents programmes dans les bassins hydrographiques et à l'amélioration de leur coordination. / This paper describes the contribution of the French researchers seconded to International Water Management Institute (IWMI) by the French Ministry of Agriculture in the Olifants and Limpopo benchmark basins of the Challenge Program on Water and Food. The French researchers made available to IWMI are not only involved in the economic, geographic and agronomic aspects of these projects, but also participate in coordinating and developing synergy between different projects in the basins

Food insecurity of smallholder farming systems in B72A catchment in the Olifants River Basin, South Africa

Traditional smallholder farming systems are characterized by low yields and high risks of crop failure and food insecurity. Through a biophysical model, PARCHED-THIRST and a socio-economic farming systems simulation model, OLYMPE, we evaluated the performance of farming practices based on maize yield, gross margin and total family balance over a 10-year period in semi-arid Olifants River Basin of South Africa. Farm profitability under scenarios of different maize productions, maize grain and fertiliser price variations were explored for the identified farming systems. Farm types (A to E) were identified from farm surveys, and validated with farmers and extension officers. The order of vulnerability to severe droughts and food insecurity, starting with the most vulnerable is farm Type B, C, D, A and E. Severe drought or flood shock resulted in highest farm gross margin and total family balance reductions, partly due to loss of production for family consumption. Labour returns ranged from US$62/capita.year for crop-based farm types to US$ 363/capita.year for livestock-based farm Type E. Results revealed that livestock and crop diversification are most proficient strategies to ensure stable income and food security for smallholder farmers. Thus, smallholder farming technology innovations and policies should engage in solutions to poor yields and livestock farming

L'adaptation de l'agriculture à la disponibilité de la ressource en eau : le cas de la Drôme des Collines

Cet article présente la méthode et les résultats d'une étude sur l'adaptation de l'agriculture à la disponibilité de la ressource en eau dans la Drôme des Collines. Cette étude visait à répondre aux questions suivantes : 1) Quel serait l'impact économique d'une réduction du volume prélevable pour l'irrigation agricole sur les exploitations et les filières ? 2) Quelles solutions d'adaptation et mesures d'accompagnement pourraient être mises en place pour atténuer cet impact économique ? Afin de comprendre au mieux les enjeux locaux liés à la réforme des volumes prélevables, une démarche participative a été mise en oeuvre, avec une forte implication de l'équipe prestataire sur le terrain et une mobilisation des acteurs locaux, notamment de la profession agricole. Cette approche a permis d'élaborer un diagnostic partagé de l'agriculture en Drôme des Collines, à l'échelle des exploitations et des filières. L'impact d'une réduction des autorisations de prélèvements en eau (- 40 % ) a été simulé sur les indicateurs-clefs (EBE, production et volume d'eau consommé). Sur proposition des acteurs du territoire, des mesures d'adaptation ont aussi été envisagées et analysées en termes d'impacts. Au-delà du cas de la Drôme des Collines, l'article dégage des éléments de méthode transposables sur d'autres territoires et met en perspective l'approche choisie avec celles de travaux similaires

La gestion du manque d’eau structurel et des sécheresses en France

Cet article s’intéresse aux politiques et dispositifs de gestion du manque d’eau et des sécheresses en France. La première partie décrit les politiques et dispositifs existants, en distinguant la gestion quantitative des volumes d'eau et la gestion par les prix ainsi que les politiques structurelles et les politiques conjoncturelles. La seconde partie discute des politiques et dispositifs envisageables en France. Cela inclut des politiques incitant aux adaptations au niveau des exploitations, une réforme de la gestion de crise et des dispositifs de tarification et d’échange de droits qui pourraient être différenciés selon les utilisateurs, l’état de la ressource et la situation météorologique. Ces nouveaux dispositifs sont par ailleurs compatibles avec la réforme en cours et la mise en place des organismes uniques de gestion collective (OUGC) à l’échelle locale. / This article deals with policies and management measures addressing water scarcity and droughts in France. The first part describes existing practices, differentiating between quota and pricing instruments and between structural and temporary measures. The second part discusses policies and measures that could be applied in France. It includes policies providing incitation to support farm-level adaptations, a reform of current crisis management and pricing and market measures that could be differentiated depending on the end-user, the state of the resource and the weather conditions. Moreover, these measures fit in the current policy reform and the introduction of local institutions for collective water management, called OUGC

Structure and Power in Multilateral Negotiations: An Application to French Water Policy

Stakeholder negotiation is an increasingly important policymaking tool. However, relatively little is understood about the relationship between the structure of the negotiating process and the effectiveness with which stakeholders can pursue their individual interests. We apply the Rausser- Simon multilateral bargaining model to a specific negotiation process involving water storage capacity and use in the upper Adour Basin in southwestern France. We focus on a coalition of three stakeholder groups with aligned but distinct interests. In addition to the standard indices of bargaining powerԴhe distribution of political weights (ܡccessݩ and players٠utilities if an agreement is not reached, our analysis identifies other less obvious sources of power. First, a coalition member may benefit when his access is reduced if the redistribution increases the access of another coalition member who has a more favorable ܳtrategic location.ݠSecond, the interests of the coalition as a whole will usually, but not always, be advanced if its members cede access to a pokesmanݠrepresenting their common interests. However, some members may be adversely affected. Third, restricting the extent to which coalition members can make proposals that further their own individual interests at the expense of other coalition members will usually, but not always, harm the coalition as a whole.water, bargaining, negotiations, Environmental Economics and Policy, Institutional and Behavioral Economics,

Structure and bargaining power in multilateral negotiations : Application to water management policies in France

Environmental policies are characterized by a growing emphasis on participation, devolution and negotiated decision making. Increasingly, centralized top down decision making systems are being replaced by new forms of local governance. In their strongest versions, these involve delegation of formal authority to local stakeholders who are expected to decide collectively upon the management rules of local common-pool resources. Devolution is particularly important in relation to the allocation and management of scarce water resources. Indeed the French water law of 1992 institutionalised the notion of [...].