- Expanding infrastructure networks and mitigating risk factors are crucial for the development of irrigation in Ethiopia and across Africa, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Director.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, IFAD Country Director Mawira Chitima stated that the fund, in partnership with Ethiopia, is financing agricultural development projects with a focus on smallholder agriculture and rural finance to improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and pastoralists.
He highlighted the need to address key challenges such as poor infrastructure, salinity, and other risks affecting irrigation investment. He also emphasized the pivotal role of the private sector in driving growth in the sector.
With support from the World Bank, IFAD is financing resilience-building programs in lowland areas, particularly focusing on rangeland and livestock management for pastoralist communities, he noted.
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Despite Africa's vast irrigation potential, only 6% of the continent's arable land is currently irrigated. Mawira underscored the urgency of accelerating interventions to change this longstanding reality.
"Due to inadequate de-risking mechanisms for mobilizing finances, coupled with poor infrastructure-- including roads, salinity issues, energy shortages, and a lack of integrated value chains--Africa's irrigation development remains significantly underdeveloped," he remarked.
He further explained that much of Africa's farmland is owned by smallholder farmers and community cooperatives. To enhance productivity, he recommended forming agricultural clusters and commercial farms, while urging governments to adopt a community-based approach.
Ethiopia, he noted, is making substantial progress in expanding reliable electricity, renewable energy, and technological advancements, all of which contribute to the development of irrigation schemes within the country and beyond.
Commending Ethiopia's efforts in promoting irrigated wheat production in both highland and lowland areas, he advocated for diversifying crop varieties to strengthen food sovereignty not just in Ethiopia, but across Africa and globally.
Ethiopia is playing a significant role in advancing food security, he said, calling for collective continental efforts to reduce Africa's dependence on food aid.
"Beyond scaling up risk mitigation at all levels of farming, it is essential to strengthen linkages with the private sector to improve market access, financing, agricultural technologies, and overall investment," Mawira stressed.
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He also highlighted the importance of enhancing technology, implementing policy shifts, fostering public-private partnerships, and streamlining risk-based approaches, all of which are critical to developing irrigation as an integral part of agricultural value chain growth.
