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Volume 15
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Article

Community Management of Irrigation Infrastructure in Burkina Faso: A Diagnostic Study of Six Dam-Adjacent Irrigation Areas

by
Cyrille Bassolo Baki
1,2,*,
Amadou Keïta
3,
Sié Palé
4,
Farid Traoré
5,
Apolline Bambara
6,
Alexandre Ragnagué Moyenga
2,
Joost Wellens
1,
Bakary Djaby
1 and
Bernard Tychon
1
1
SPHERES Research Unit, University of Liège 185, Avenue de Longwy, 6700 Arlon, Belgium
2
Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Ouagadougou 03 BP 7005, Burkina Faso
3
Water, Hydro-Systems and Agriculture Laboratory (LEHSA), International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE), Ouagadougou 01 BP 594, Burkina Faso
4
Institute of Environmental Sciences and Rural Development, University of Daniel-Ouezzin Coulibaly, Dédougou 01 BP 176, Burkina Faso
5
Institute of Environment and Agricultural Research, Guisga Street, Ouagadougou 04 BP 8645, Burkina Faso
6
Sahara and Sahel Observatory, BP 31, Carthage 1080, Tunisia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agriculture 2025, 15(5), 477; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15050477
Submission received: 22 January 2025 / Revised: 14 February 2025 / Accepted: 18 February 2025 / Published: 22 February 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Agricultural Water Management)
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Abstract

In Burkina Faso, small-scale, community-managed irrigation systems play a crucial role in stabilizing agricultural production and improving food security. Over the past three decades, the state has transferred the management of these irrigation systems to local farmer organizations in the hope of improving efficiency and sustainability. This study assesses the long-term performance of six irrigation perimeters Dakiri, Gorgo, Itenga, Mogtedo, Savili, and Wedbila through an in-depth analysis of governance models, infrastructure conditions, and financial sustainability. Performance indicators such as relative water supply (RWS), gross production per unit of irrigation water (PbIr), and water charge recovery rates were used to assess the effectiveness of farmer-led irrigation management. The results reveal persistent governance and financial challenges as well as issues such as water wastage and low yield persisting, despite decades of implementation of farmer-led management. The degradation of irrigation infrastructure, coupled with declining water fee collection rates, threatens the sustainability of these systems. A comparative analysis of international cases suggests that a hybrid governance model, in which the state provides technical and financial support while strengthening accountability mechanisms, could improve the performance of these irrigation systems. This study recommends a shift towards greater state intervention, improved financial mechanisms, and the adoption of digital monitoring tools to ensure a more efficient and sustainable management framework.
Keywords: community-managed irrigation; hydraulic infrastructure maintenance; irrigation fee recovery; performance assessment; sustainability of irrigated systems; water use efficiency community-managed irrigation; hydraulic infrastructure maintenance; irrigation fee recovery; performance assessment; sustainability of irrigated systems; water use efficiency

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MDPI and ACS Style

Baki, C.B.; Keïta, A.; Palé, S.; Traoré, F.; Bambara, A.; Moyenga, A.R.; Wellens, J.; Djaby, B.; Tychon, B. Community Management of Irrigation Infrastructure in Burkina Faso: A Diagnostic Study of Six Dam-Adjacent Irrigation Areas. Agriculture 2025, 15, 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15050477

AMA Style

Baki CB, Keïta A, Palé S, Traoré F, Bambara A, Moyenga AR, Wellens J, Djaby B, Tychon B. Community Management of Irrigation Infrastructure in Burkina Faso: A Diagnostic Study of Six Dam-Adjacent Irrigation Areas. Agriculture. 2025; 15(5):477. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15050477

Chicago/Turabian Style

Baki, Cyrille Bassolo, Amadou Keïta, Sié Palé, Farid Traoré, Apolline Bambara, Alexandre Ragnagué Moyenga, Joost Wellens, Bakary Djaby, and Bernard Tychon. 2025. "Community Management of Irrigation Infrastructure in Burkina Faso: A Diagnostic Study of Six Dam-Adjacent Irrigation Areas" Agriculture 15, no. 5: 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15050477

APA Style

Baki, C. B., Keïta, A., Palé, S., Traoré, F., Bambara, A., Moyenga, A. R., Wellens, J., Djaby, B., & Tychon, B. (2025). Community Management of Irrigation Infrastructure in Burkina Faso: A Diagnostic Study of Six Dam-Adjacent Irrigation Areas. Agriculture, 15(5), 477. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15050477

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