The performance and sustainability of new irrigation investments will depend on countries’ capacity to address institutional and strategic challenges. Africa needs national agricultural water development strategies that emphasize the importance of better institutions to manage integrated programs. Future investment decisions should be guided by considerations of economic viability, farm-level profitability, and sustainability. At present, 1.4 million hectares of African agricultural land equipped for irrigation have fallen into disuse and require rehabilitation. Keeping development costs down can spell the difference between a successful project and a failure.
Investments in agricultural water must be part of a comprehensive package that includes, in addition to infrastructure delivery, empowered farmer organizations; sustainable, efficient, and accountable agricultural support services; and accessible, profitable markets. Without these complementary efforts to improve agricultural productivity, irrigation will not necessarily deliver the anticipated increase in yield.