Small reservoirs in Africa: a review and synthesis to strengthen future investment

Small reservoirs are a critical coping mechanism in water-stressed rural areas in Africa, providing immense livelihood benefits that include improved food and water security, entrepreneurial activities and climate resilience. Challenges associated with the implementation of investments in small reservoirs include appropriate site selection, weak institutions, insufficient maintenance and sedimentation. The findings from this study suggest that the benefits of small reservoirs may be tapped more efficiently by rehabilitating old sites rather than building new infrastructure. However, the findings also point to broader lessons on the need to change the way of doing business, i.e., to adopt a long-term, more holistic approach (or model) to the construction and maintenance of small reservoirs that matches the degree of the challenge associated with sustainably tapping the benefits of the water that they store.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Saruchera, Davison, Lautze, Jonathan F.
Format:	Working Paper biblioteca
Language:	English
Published:	International Water Management Institute 2019
Subjects:	small scale systems, reservoirs, rehabilitation, irrigation management, irrigation investment, reinvestment, cost benefit analysis, water availability, water storage, water institutions, water supply, water use, water users, dams, sedimentation, infrastructure, performance indexes, food security, living standards, household income, public health, environmental sustainability, land use, impact assessment, nongovernmental organizations, state intervention, financing, funding, socioeconomic development, rural communities, entrepreneurship, gender, women's participation, empowerment, livestock, case studies,
Online Access:	https://hdl.handle.net/10568/102237 https://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/Publications/Working_Papers/working/wor189.pdf https://doi.org/10.5337/2019.209
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!