IWMI in the news
According to estimates, only 6% of Africa’s farmland is irrigated, compared to 35% in Asia. As a result, Africa’s agriculture is largely rainfed and has among the lowest productivity in the world.
Solar irrigation pumps have immense potential to address irrigation and productivity gaps, particularly in off-grid areas. Research suggests that 5.4 million farmers in sub-Saharan Africa alone could benefit from their use. Although a vibrant ecosystem of solar irrigation pump manufacturers and distributors has developed to meet demand, the growth of the sector is limited in part by a lack of funding. Loans from microfinance institutions are usually too small and banks are often unwilling to lend to ventures aimed at small farmers, who are seen as high risk.
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Population pressure and increasing water competition in a changing climate require us to take stock of the availability and use of water across scales. Water availability not only influences farmers’ commercial prospects but also irrigation-related enterprises and agri-businesses. Greater water scarcity could jeopardize irrigation and agricultural markets while excessive water use can lead to declining ecosystems, water quality and soil health. IWMI advises development partners and the public and private sectors on all aspects of water resource availability and use through a variety of advanced modeling and remote-sensing products and tools, including 
The ability of farmers to engage in or expand irrigation depends on the prevailing socioeconomic, ecological and political contexts, which are often complex, non-linear and changeable. Overcoming systemic barriers to farmer-led irrigation development while taking advantage of existing opportunities 
A lack of affordable credit, particularly for women and resource-poor farmers, is one of the main barriers to expanding farmer-led irrigation in low- and middle-income countries. But 
Scaling farmer-led irrigation requires strengthening human capacity and knowledge exchange among all actors and stakeholders involved. IWMI takes an action research approach, working with national and international research institutions, governments, extension agents and public and private organizations to co-develop the scaling ecosystem and strengthen capacity to drive scaling networks and collective action. We support the