Revisiting Dominant Notions

44 Pages·2012·1.51 MB·English

IWM I
Research
Report
Revisiting Dominant Notions:
A Review of Costs,
144
Performance and Institutions
of Small Reservoirs in
Sub-Saharan Africa
Jean-Philippe Venot, Charlotte de Fraiture and Ernest Nti Acheampong
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IWMI Research Report 144
Revisiting Dominant Notions: A Review of
Costs, Performance and Institutions of Small
Reservoirs in Sub-Saharan Africa
Jean-Philippe Venot, Charlotte de Fraiture and Ernest Nti
Acheampong
International Water Management Institute
P O Box 2075, Colombo, Sri Lanka
i
The authors: Jean-Philippe Venot is a Researcher in Geography and Development Studies based at the
International Water Management Institute (IWMI) office in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; Charlotte de
Fraiture is Professor of Land and Water Development at the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education
in Delft, the Netherlands, and was a Principal Researcher at IWMI in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
when this research was conducted; and Ernest Nti Acheampong is a Water Research Scientist at the
African Technology Policy Studies (ATPS) Network in Nairobi, Kenya, and was a Research Officer at
the West Africa office of IWMI in Accra, Ghana, when this research was conducted.
Venot, J.-P.; de Fraiture, C.; Nti Acheampong, E. 2012. Revisiting dominant notions: A review of costs,
performance and institutions of small reservoirs in sub-Saharan Africa. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International
Water Management Institute. 39p. (IWMI Research Report 144). doi:10.5337/2012.202
/ reservoirs / institutions / history / investments / costs / multiple use / rural development / water users
associations / small scale systems / irrigation / remote sensing / Sub-Saharan Africa /
ISSN 1026-0862
ISBN 978-92-9090-750-3
Copyright © 2012, by IWMI. All rights reserved. IWMI encourages the use of its material provided that the
organization is acknowledged and kept informed in all such instances.
Front Cover: The multiple dimensions of small reservoirs in sub-Saharan Africa (photo credits: Jean-Philippe
Venot, Hilmy Sally and Ernest Nti Acheampong, IWMI)
Please send inquiries and comments to: [email protected]
A free copy of this publication can be downloaded at
www.iwmi.org/Publications/IWMI_Research_Reports/index.aspx
Acknowledgements
This report synthesizes contributions and research conducted over the last 3 years by the following
people: Profs. Saa Dittoh and Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic, Eric Adu-Dankwa, Frank Annor, Eric
(cid:54)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:83)(cid:82)(cid:81)(cid:74)(cid:3)(cid:50)(cid:90)(cid:88)(cid:86)(cid:88)(cid:15)(cid:3)(cid:45)(cid:88)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:53)(cid:68)(cid:78)(cid:227)(cid:87)(cid:92)(cid:87)(cid:417)(cid:3)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:71)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:83)(cid:75)(cid:85)(cid:68)(cid:76)(cid:80)(cid:3)(cid:54)(cid:72)(cid:78)(cid:92)(cid:76)(cid:16)(cid:36)(cid:81)(cid:81)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:3)(cid:11)(cid:42)(cid:75)(cid:68)(cid:81)(cid:68)(cid:12)(cid:30)(cid:3)(cid:39)(cid:85)(cid:17)(cid:3)(cid:42)(cid:72)(cid:69)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:75)(cid:68)(cid:90)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:76)(cid:68)(cid:3)(cid:42)(cid:72)(cid:69)(cid:85)(cid:72)(cid:74)(cid:93)(cid:76)(cid:68)(cid:69)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:15)(cid:3)
Dr. Mohammed Abdurahman and Hailai Abera (Ethiopia); Francine Ki, Kassoum Ouedraogo, Armelle
Oueresse, Korotimi Sanou and Bio Torou (Burkina Faso); George Sikuleka (Zambia) and Joseph Mbinji
(Ghana and Zambia). The authors would like to thank Marc Andreini and Philippe Cecchi for their advice
all along the research process; the team from the AgWater Solutions Project for its support; and the
many informants who enriched our analysis, though it is impossible to name them all here. We are
thankful to Terry Clayton for his editorial advice on several sections of this report; to Matthew McCartney,
Principal Researcher – Hydrologist, IWMI, and Ruth Meinzen-Dick for reviewing an earlier version of
this report. This research study is an output from the AgWater Solutions Project (http://awm-solutions.
iwmi.org). This work was funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and
conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies
of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Contents
Summary vii
Introduction 1
Small Reservoirs: Some Elements of Perspective 2
From the Onset: Planning and Implementing Small Reservoir Projects 10
Looking at Performance From a Multiple Users/Uses Perspective 15
Local Arrangements for Management: Questioning the WUA Model 18
Conclusion 22
References 24
Appendix 1. Country Maps: Locating Small Reservoirs 29
Appendix 2. Small Reservoirs in Selected Countries 31
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Summary
Thousands of small reservoirs dot the rural cycle add to the costs and affect the quality
landscape of sub-Saharan Africa. They have of construction and hence the performance,
long attracted development and academic and the farmers’ ability to maintain the
interest on the grounds that they make reservoir in a workable state. Performance
vulnerable and generally little-developed assessments are centered on downstream
regions ‘drought-proof’ and allow for small- irrigation activities and universally point to the
scale community-based irrigation. On the other disappointing results of small reservoirs in
hand, concerns have long been raised over these terms. Such assessments are grounded
the high construction costs, poor irrigation in field observations but remain partial. Small
performance, low managerial capacity on the reservoirs support, and enhance synergies
part of communities and little sustainability between, multiple livelihood strategies.
of investments that seem to be locked in a The performance of small reservoirs needs
build-neglect-rebuild syndrome. A common to be assessed against this backdrop of
response to these shortcomings has been multiple uses/users. WUAs, often externally
to improve project designs and organize triggered, have been framed and instituted
farmers in Water User Associations (WUAs) to as the sole and most adequate structure for
better manage their common resources. This the management of small reservoirs, with
report, however, calls for a different approach generally disappointing results. This is because
based on a renewed understanding of small decision making on small reservoirs takes
reservoirs. Drawing information from a cross- place in multiple and overlapping arenas; the
country comparative analysis conducted in concerns of users may thus be best addressed
Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia and Zambia, by promoting arrangements that enhance
this report argues that high costs are not multiple institutional relationships at multiple
inherent to the technology but are caused scales. An integrative approach, both in spatial
by major shortcomings in the planning and (the watershed) and temporal (the project
implementation processes. Non-standard cycle) terms, holds the promise of sustainable
and corrupt practices throughout the project management of small reservoirs.
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