Improving Crop and Seed Production Systems under Sustainable Water/Irrigation Management in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a region plagued by poverty, malnutrition and poor living conditions. With climate change expected to bring more frequent and longer droughts to the region, its agricultural productivity will further decrease putting strain on local food markets, further heightening the food insecurity situation especially in the poverty-stricken and marginal areas. Much of the irrigated areas in SSA depend on groundwater or run-off-river pumping systems. However, climate change has put these traditional sources of water at risk.Choosing irrigation technologies that increase crop productivity and choosing crops that are drought- and salt-tolerant are ways in which such risks can be minimized which can lead to improvements in agricultural productivity and farm income. ICBA is currently implementing a project to do this in seven SSA countries. These include Burkina Faso, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. Such improvements in farming systems will help in achieving food security in the region.