African irrigation overview, volume 1 : summary

can best promote irrigation that will help African nations achieve food security. First, 75 lessons learned from Africa"s irrigation experience are presented (covering: irrigation potential versus demand; soils; existing systems; engineering; agronomy; environmental impact; social and economic factors; and institutional aspects), followed by 25 more specific rules of thumb for project designers and field staff. The remainder of the review assesses the implications of these lessons for donors, examining 15 points on which donor policy decisions are required prior to investment and identifying the 9 most significant gaps in research or institutional effort which currently constrain irrigation. The authors suggest that A.I.D. give first priority to strengthening irrigation capabilities both within the USAID system and in host nations; other areas of importance are, inter alia, cooperation with other donors more active in African irrigation, inclusion of irrigation in farming systems research projects, support for remote-sensing drought warning systems, and further attention to small-scale irrigation. Appendices include summaries of four technical working papers used in compiling this volume, and 12 pages of references (1963-85).