Agricultural Water Management in Africa by Mabhaudhi, Tafadzwanashe; Senzanje, Aidan; Cofie, Olufunke;

Long description:

Agricultural Water Management in Africa presents a comprehensive look at the current state of irrigation development and agricultural water management (AWM) practices across Africa and the Global South. Going beyond just assessment, the book offers actionable guidelines, forward-looking scenarios, and strategic investment plans to help prioritize and implement irrigation and AWM initiatives in the face of climate change.

At the heart of Africa’s push for agricultural transformation is the African Union’s (AU) Framework for Irrigation Development and Agricultural Water Management. This framework lays out four key development pathways to drive impactful change in water management across the continent: (i) enhanced water control and watershed management in rain-fed agriculture; (ii) farmer-led irrigation development that empowers local growers; (iii) modernization and expansion of irrigation schemes; (iv) utilization of unconventional water sources for sustainable irrigation.

The book maps out the progress and potential of these pathways on a continental scale, showcasing how the AU-IDAWM framework can shape Africa’s water-secure agricultural future. To enrich this perspective, it also draws on case studies from Asia and Latin America, creating space for meaningful South-South knowledge exchange. It thoughtfully examines cross-cutting themes such as the water-energy-food nexus and the circular economy, placing AWM in the broader context of sustainability and climate resilience.

Whether you are a policymaker, researcher, practitioner, or development partner, this volume delivers critical insights into how smarter water management can drive agricultural growth, food security, and environmental stewardship in Africa and beyond.

• Highlights fit-for-purpose irrigation strategies at scale and identifies opportunities and challenges of irrigation practices
• Expands understanding of the pathways for AWM, presenting operation and maintenance procedures
• Includes bespoke designs guided by the AWM pathway approach

Table of Contents:

1. Agricultural water management: an overview of concepts
2. The transformative role of treated wastewater in North Africa: lessons learned and future directions
3. Effects of forage plantation on soil quality in the subhumid Ethiopian Highlands: implications for sustainable agriculture
4. Current status of agricultural water management in Africa: progress, challenges, and opportunities
5. Agricultural water management in maize-based systems: challenges, opportunities, and sustainable solutions in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
6. The critical role of water in facilitating agroecology transitions in semiarid regions of sub-Saharan Africa
7. Optimizing water productivity: challenges and opportunities in smallholder irrigation schemes-a case study from South Africa
8. AquaCrop model as a tool to forecast crop yield during the growing season: lessons from Nepal, South Asia
9. Assessment of drip and conventional surface Irrigation in the poorly drained, naturally irrigated lands of the Khorezm Region: lessons from Central Asia
10. Impacts and interventions for extreme weather events in Southern Africa
11. Integrated water and land management practices: demand-driven participatory research in the semiarid agricultural landscapes of Tanzania
12. Gender equality and social inclusion in agricultural water management
13. Gender dynamics and power relations in water management and agricultural innovations in the Mpegnesso’s lowlands of Mali
14. Institutions and governance for agricultural water management in support of resilient food systems
15. Summary: beyond crop water productivity to transform agricultural water management