1.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20151/24 www.gwpao.org
DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURAL
IRRIGATED LANDS
IN BURKINA FASO
Tiemtoré Mahamoudou
Chargé de pogramme
Global Water Partnership/Afrique de l’Ouest
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance

2.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20152/24 www.gwpao.org
I. BACKGROUND
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance

3.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20153/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
1.1. Geographic, demographic and administrative
Located in the heart of West
Africa;

4.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20154/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
1.2. Principal physical
1.2.1. Climate and climatic
zones
Alternation of a wet season and
dry season.
 Wet season starts
From May and June, and
stops on September/mid-
October
 Wettest months are
July, August, September.
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Longitude (°)
-6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Longitude (°)
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Latitude(°)
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
Longitude(°)
OUAGADOUGOU
DORI
OUAHIGOUYA
DEDOUGOU
FADA NGOURMA
BOBO-DIOULASSO
BOROMO
PO
GAOUA
BOGANDE
600
900900
ZONES CLIMATIQUES DU BURKINA FASO ( 1971 - 2000 )
NIGER
BENINTOGOGHANA
COTE D' IVOIRE
MALI
900
900
600
LEGENDE :
Climat Sahélien
Climat Soudano-sahélien
Climat Soudanien
BURKINA FASO
DIRECTION DE LA METEOROLOGIE
Nearly 65% of the
country is in the isohyets
500 mm and 800 mm.

5.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20155/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
1.2.2. Soils and their fertility
-The soils generally : low depth
and water holding capacity
limited.
-Poor in organic matter.
-Exposed to an accelerated
degradation due to water and
wind, and aggravated by
anthropogenic factors.
-Farmers promote water
conservation techniques and soil
(CES).
Zai
Lines of stones
manure pits
Half-moon
Manure pit

6.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20156/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
1.2.3. Water Resources and watershed
-4 national bassin are subdivided into
17 sub-national bassin.
Surface waters are estimated at
just around 8 billion m3.
Groundwater found in two major
geological units:
• In crystalline basement
areas: 82% of the area
• In sedimentary areas: 18%
of the territory.
 In Burkina Faso there is relatively Water;
 Total water intake:
 690 million m3 for irrigation and livestock (86 per cent of the
total),
 104 million for domestic use (13 percent)
 6 million for the industry (one percent).
Water Quality
 Generally good.
 low salinities

7.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20157/24 www.gwpao.org
II. OVERVIEW OF THE
IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance

8.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20158/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
The national Strategy for sustainable development of irrigated agriculture (SNDDAI) was elaborated in 2003 to
increase the irrigated productions in order to make up for the deficits of the wet season productions and to increase
the monetary incomes of the producers.
Its action plan includes by 2015, the development 55 000 ha of irrigated areas. Currently, more than 120 billion CFA
francs were mobilized for the implementation of projects and programs.
The potential of irrigationlands in the country is estimated at 233,500 ha.
Food crises related to drought of the Seventies led to the adoption and the implementation of policies which resulted in
the development and the progressive integration of the irrigation in the agricultural production
Some Irrigation equipments were initiated in the 60s.
And continued sligtly till the 90s with mainly large scale perimeters (Vallée du Kou, Sourou and Bagré (Aouba, 1993)).
Contrary to some countries in Europe, d’Asia, Northern and Eastern Africa, Burkina Faso has not a tradition of irrigation.
In November 2001 the « Pilote Programme of small scale Irrigation for Villagers was launched with objectives to
promote dry seasons production and to promote appropiate techniques and technologies and to contribute to the
diversification of agricultural production. This had a relating success.

9.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 20159/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
With only 9% of irrigable surfaces developed in the years 2000, this rate reached 20% in 2013.
Year (i) 2000 2010 2011 2012 2013
Irrigated surfaces IA) 13 043 34 480 39 240 40385 42973
Rate of increase RiIA
(%) = (IAi-IA2000)
/IA2000
164,4 200,9 209,63 229,47
Since the start of the implementation of the SNDDAI’s action plan we notice an increase of the surface equipped for
irrigation contributing to additional and diversified foods products.
NB: On the irrigated 42,973 ha, 33,179 ha are with full control of water.

10.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201510/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.1. Irrigation techniques
2.1.1. Major irrigation schemes
Mainly near big dams.
Cover wide areas with 100 to 1000 hectares in one piece.
With a total area of 12,058 ha, they account for 37% of developed areas
in Burkina Faso.
The production is mainly rice and based on the peasantry, often
consisting of peasant settlers.
Also, the Government encourages the development of agribusiness in
some selected major irrigation schemes

11.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201511/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.1.2. The medium schemes
Their size is between 20 and 100 hectares.
They cover about 3,000 ha
In these schemes, the individual farm family is the embodiment of
dominant values. Individual plots are generally around 0.1 to 0.25 ha.
The facilities are designed on the principle of total control of the water.
But in reality the water control is very strongly dependent on annual
rainfall and can vary from one year to another.
These schemes are primarily intended for rice rainfall seasons , with the
practice of gardening in dry-season.
Some schemes are essentially reserved for gardening.

12.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201512/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
The distribution of water in medium schemes is gravity, achieved by using
a network of open canals
In some gardening perimeters, the distribution of irrigation water is
usually done using a network of implementing California-style network
pressurized buried pipelines serving the terminals.
From the
terminal, the
water is
applied to the
plot by the
technique of
furrow
irrigation
Realization of irrigation lines by the
farmers beneficiaries of the site

13.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201513/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.1.3. Small-scale irrigation
The small irrigation covers around ten thousands of
hectares in Burkina Faso.
Corresponds to small-scale irrigation schemes of less
than one hectare to hundreds of hectares.
Nowadays we see some producers of small-scale
irrigation implementing systems with drip-irrigation,
popularized by many projects and programs operating
in the field of irrigation
Small-scale irrigation is either community or individual.
It is community, where investment is allowing the production group.
Small-scale irrigation corresponds to:
-perimeters of 3 to 20 hectares;
-perimeters less than half a hectare;
-localized irrigation schemes (irrigation).
The localized irrigation are still on experimental level.

14.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201514/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
Small-scale irrigation works with both surface water resources and groundwater.
The mobilization of water is carried out by using small dams, wells and boreholes, as well as rivers
The withdraw of water is made by both mechanical diesel pumps and with the use of treadle pumps
Water withdraw from
small dam
Traditionnal wells
Water withdraw from
river with treadle pumps

15.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201515/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
The withdraw of water is made by
mechanical diesel pumps.
Some farmers use buckets,
watering cans, gourds or various
containers.
Water withdrawing on modern
wells with treadle pumps

16.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201516/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.1.3. The inland wetlands
Today, more than 8000 ha of lowland
in Burkina Faso are equipped with a
potential (temporarily) estimated at
about 500,000 ha.
The management of lowland usually
using simple techniques, relatively
inexpensive and easy to
implement.Planning a lowland is
partial control of the water.

17.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201517/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
earth bunds with stones
for protection
earth bunds after 2 or 3 years
earth bunds realization

18.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201518/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.2. SURFACES UNDER PRODUCTION
0
10 000
20 000
30 000
40 000
50 000
60 000
70 000
Superficies emblavées (ha) /Campagne sèche

19.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201519/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.3. Productions

20.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201520/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
450000
500000
550000
600000
650000
700000
750000
800000
850000
900000
950000
1000000
1050000
2001-2002
2002-2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
Campagne agricole/Saison sèche
Productions totales (T)
Productions Céréales (T)
In spite of
the rise of
the irrigated
surfaces, the
contribution
of irrigated
agriculture
to the
national
cereal
production
remains
weak.

21.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201521/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.4. SOCIO-ECONOMICAL IMPACTS
- Creation Of new jobs
- Maintain fo rural youth in the local areas
- Increase of Food Production,
- Etc….

22.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201522/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.5. SOME CONSTRAINTS
Traditionally lands were managed by private
landowners. it is since 1983 that the land
became property of the government with the
adoption of the RAF (Land and Agrarian
Reform).
Most of the irrigation schemes are not properly managed and some work and some not
Market: Some producers have difficulties to sell their products.
Weak conservation and storage and processing techniques capacity .
Difficulties in rational management of equipments and
low level of organization of producers.
low rate of financing, degradation of river banks by the population and the silting of
reservoirs and water ways are also constraints.
Need for management of soil fertility on irrigated areas.
The RAF (Land and Agrarian Reform) Voted in
1984 and revised in 1991, 1996 and 2008, 2012 in
not effective yet and the tenure insecurity is still
a reality, especially for women and youth.

23.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201523/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
2.5. SOME CONSTRAINTS
Poor maintenance of irrigation canals
Degradation
of river
banks

24.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201524/24 www.gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance
THANK YOU!!!!!!

25.
Experiences de la gouvernance de l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest16 avril 201525/24 www.gwpao.org
www.gwpao.org
www.gwp.org
Facebook: facebook.com/gwpao
Twitter: @GwpWaf
Email: secretariat@gwpao.org
GWP-ILC-IWMI
Workshop
Responding to the Global Food Security Challenge
through Coordinated Land and Water Governance