Groundwater Irrigation: A Potential Saviour for Zambia's Agricultural Sector? (II)‎

 Last week I introduced GWI and the ways in which it could improve Zambia’s agricultural productivity and food security. This post will consider some of GWI’s issues and what this could mean for the future.

 

Logistical Considerations

Over the last two decades, the use of motor pumps for smallholder GWI in particular has increased considerably. Since the late 1980s, the retail price of 3-5 horsepower pumps (as seen in Figure 1) has declined to approximately US$200. This has made them more accessible for smallholders and encouraged a transition from less-effective treadle pumps. 

Figure 1 Diagram of a typical portable motor pump used for GWI in Zambia.

This has led Colenbrander and van Koppen (2013) to conclude that motor pumps would satisfy The Zambia Irrigation Policy & Strategy's aim of "alleviat[ing] poverty and food security" by upgrading existing and creating new public sector, (smallholder) farmer-managed irrigation schemes. With an estimated 400,000-600,00 hectares of land available for further irrigation development, motor pumps could indeed be the way for Zambia to achieve a green revolution similar to that of South Asia and address food security concerns. 

Whilst motor pumps offer great potential in the expansion of GWI, they do not come without their problems. 

The main grievance of smallholders concerns the centralisation of motor pump retailers and repair facilities in cities. For instance, users in Livingstone either have to buy pumps from informal vendors who have imported stock from South Africa or travel over 500km to official outlets in Lusaka. Although long-distance purchases and informal trading mitigate the centralisation issue to an extent, rural smallholders still lack information about motor pumps and their sustainable use. 

The Future of GWI in Zambia

Moving forward, it is important that the aforementioned supply chain issues are resolved to ensure all smallholders are able to access and use motor pumps effectively and sustainably. The current isolation of rural smallholders means motor pumps are not used optimally and their full potential in improving food security is yet to be realised. 

So, how can this be resolved? 

As argued by Colenbrander and van Koppen (2013), the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) could use their collective power and status to negotiate a price with suppliers which is mutually beneficial for both supplier and farmer. An increase in the supply of spare parts would also reduce the need for long-distance travel by rural farmers. Moreover, the ZNFU could publish information on pump ranges available for irrigation in Zambia, their specifications and retail prices to address the urban-rural information gap. 

Increased state investment into motor pumps for GWI would also be beneficial. Despite the Zambian government having invested over $842 million in small-scale irrigation between 2003-2013, only 2% of this was spent on low-cost technologies for smallholders. Although not absolutely critical, subsidies could provide an extra incentive for smallholders to adopt GWI which, in turn, would improve their crop yields. 

Overall, GWI does have potential to reduce dependence on rainfed cropping in Zambia which, as we know, is susceptible to fluctuating yields and failure. However, it is important that the right steps are taken to ensure that rural smallholders are not left behind. At the end of the day, smallholders are responsible for the majority of agricultural output in Zambia and thus with the right tools and support, they are key to improving both food production and security nationwide.