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WORLD WATER DAY CONFERENCE
“WATER FOR PEOPLE, BY PEOPLE”
Malawi’s Irrigation in Perspective
Eng. Geoffrey C. Mamba
department OF irrigation
www.doi.mw
21st March, 2016
PRESENTATION BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
• BACKGROUND: EXISTING AND POTENTIAL AREAS
FOR IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT
• COUNTRY OPPORTUNITIES
• TRENDS IN IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT
• DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS / INSTITUTIONAL
COORDINATION
• CHALLENGES
AFFECTING
IRRIGATION
DEVELOPMENT
• STEPS TO BE TAKEN IN MOVING FORWARD
QUOTE
“WHAT IS THAT IN YOUR
HAND ?”
Exodus 4:2, Holy Bible
“Master, I knew you were such a harsh man, harvesting
crops where you didn’t plant and harvesting where
you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your
money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your
money back.” Mathew 25: 24-25
COUNTRY OPPORTUNITIES
• Malawi’s annual average rainfall varies from 7252500mm and has a long term annual average of
1137mm (Dept of Climate Change and Meteorological Services)
• The Country has relatively abundant water
resources (surface and ground) and arable land
• These water systems cover ~21% of the country’s
territorial area and are mostly confined to Lake
Malawi and Shire River system
• There are many small dams and very few large
dams for storing this water
BASIC AGRO-CLIMATE STATISTICS 2011-15
(data.worldbank.org)
S/N
COUNTRY
PRECIPITATION (mm/yr)
ARABLE LAND ( % of land area)
01
Malawi
1080
40.3
02
Kenya
630
10.2
03
Israel
435
13.2
04
Namibia
285
1.0
05
South Africa
495
10.3
06
Zambia
1020
5.0
COUNTRY CONTEXT…..
• The Country has plains, plateaux, escarpments,
low lying lake littoral areas and significant sunshine hours which can support irrigated
agriculture
• 90% of the farmers practice subsistence
farming on customary land. The land comprises
small and fragmented landholdings totalling
approximately 2.3 million ha
• In 1968, 84 % of smallholder farmers were
cultivating an area >1.5 ha but now <0.7 ha
COUNTRY CONTEXT……
• The total developed area for irrigation is about 104, 463
ha (i.e. representing 25.6%) out of a potential of about
408 000ha. The developed area includes estates and
smallholder irrigation management (IMPIF, 2015)
• Overall there are around 424, 808 household
beneficiaries of smallholder irrigation schemes, but these
represent only around 3.3% of all rural households.
• The private estate sector has not been growing
significantly over the past 10 years (i.e. Period 20052014: Estates has slumped by 1.5%; smallholder has
grown by 255%) (DoI Annual Report, 2014).
COUNTRY CONTEXT……
• Erratic rainfall patterns, dry spells, droughts and floods whose
occurrence has increased due to climate change effects is
negatively affecting rain fed agriculture
• The rain-fed agriculture production decreased by about 30%
in 2014/15 season. There is perception that this may decrease
further in 2015/16 because of the La NINA phenomenon
• In addition, food demand in Malawi has been increasing
steadily due to absolute increase in population which is
estimated to be 17.7 million now (NSO) from about 3 million
in 1966.
• Estimated national production from irrigation schemes: 20%
for cereal production and over 30% for tuber production
IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT OVER THE
YEARS 2005-2015
Category
YEAR
2005/2006
2006/2007
2007/2008
2008/2009
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
2012/2013
2013/2014
2014/2015
Private Estates, ha
48,360
48,360
48,360
48,360
51,000
48,382
49,340
50,000
52,499
52,499
Smallholders, ha
18,210
25,114
29,640
33,249
39,000
42,181
43,182
44,209
49,471
52,144
TOTALS
66,570
73,474
78,000
81,609
90,000
90,563
92,522
94,209
101,615
104,643
TRENDS IN IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT
WHY IRRIGATION?
• Benefits from Increased irrigation development need no emphasis
as this helps to:
– mitigate the effects of climate change i.e. La Nina phenomena
– ensure stabilization of food availability and improve nutrition
– contributes to sustainable economic growth and development
Evidence:
 “Advised the Country’s leadership that, in the medium to longterm, they should place emphasis on investment in infrastructure
and irrigated agriculture to build resilience and enhance
productivity”: Executive Directors of African Dev Bank (Daily Times of March
16, 2016)
 The contribution of irrigation to agricultural sector is in the
range of 7-12%. To the economy as a whole is between about
4%. This represent between US$80-140million or about
US$850-1550/ha (SMEC, 2014)
WHY IRRIGATION?…….
 Double cropping through irrigation enables
farmers to improve their incomes from an average
of €793 (K396, 500) to €2,101 (K 1,050,500)
per annum (i.e. 2.6 times)…GOPA, 2014
 “Irrigation has assisted my family to realise K78 650
with an input of K32 350 from a 0.07 ha plot” (i.e.
about 2.4 times): Chipojola Irrig Scheme Farmers,
Machinga, Field Day, 06th Octo 2015
 A smallholder farmer growing maize would realize 1.3
t/ha for rain-fed and achieve 3-4t/ha under irrigation.
This is still below the optimum maize yield levels of 10
tons per hectare attained in Iowa State, USA.
(Kasomekera, 2014)
IRRIGATION STRATEGIES AND OUTCOMES
• The main goal of irrigation is to contribute to sustainable national
economic growth and development
• The strategic objective for irrigation is to increase agricultural land
under irrigation thereby reducing dependence on rain-fed agriculture,
increase agricultural productivity and production, and income levels at
both household and national levels.
• Strategic Outcomes
– Increased irrigated agricultural production and productivity to
220,000 ha by 2035.
– Improved national and household incomes, food and nutritional
security;
– Improved irrigation service delivery; and
– Increased employment opportunities
AVAILABLE TOOLS FOR IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT
The Ministry has developed a number of tools
to accelerate irrigation development as
follows:
• National Irrigation Master Plan
and
Investment Framework
• National Irrigation Policy (Revised NIPDS)
which will soon be submitted to Cabinet
• National Irrigation Fund Guidelines




TOOLS: NATIONAL IRRIGATION MASTER PLAN AND INVESTMENT
FRAMEWORK (IMPIF)
The IMPIF is a roadmap to guide future investments in Malawi’s
Irrigation Sub-Sector and coordinate implementation among all
stakeholders (Covers the period from 2015 to 2035. Developed
alongside Water Resources Investment Plan)
The IMPIF was developed with Technical Assistance from the Snowy
Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) & funding from the World
Bank
The IMPIF was launched on 26th June 2015 by the Honourable
Minister
Objectives are to accelerate economic growth, reduce rural poverty,
improve food security and increase exports.
– The IMPIF will be implemented in three phases: Phase I (20152020), phase II (2021-2025) and Phase III (2026-2035)
comprising approximately 20,000 hectares; 28 500 hectares; and,
67 500 hectares of new irrigation schemes, respectively.
– Implementation of the plan is estimated to cost US$2.4 billion
KEY PARTNERS IN IRRIGATION SUBSECTOR
Development Partners
• World Bank, African Development Bank/African Water Facility,
European Union, Global Environmental Facility, Japanese
Government (JICA), International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), Arab Bank for Economic Development in
Africa (BADEA)
Civil Society
• Civil Society for Agriculture Network(CISAnet), World Vision,
Find Your Feet, Evangelical Association of Malawi
Private Sector
• Illovo, Eastern Produce, Malawi Mangoes, Exagris, Emerging
farmers (Mpatsa Farms etc)
Academia
• Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
(LUANAR) and the Polytechnic
MAJOR PROJECTS PLANNED
• Smallholder Irrigation and Value Addition Project (SIVAP) –
On-going (2210ha New area, 1170ha Reh)
• Agriculture Infrastructure and value Addition Project –On
going (1143 ha New)
• Support to GBI (989 ha)
• Shire River Basin Development Project (1000ha)
• Shire Valley Irrigation Project – New- (22,400ha)
• Programme for Rural Irrigation Development (PRIDE) –
5,133 ha -New
• 41 metre Bwanje Dam – New
• Dwambazi and Linga Irrigation Project including a 15m dam
(~2,000ha) -New
CHALLENGES
 Dwindling sources of water due mainly to climate change
effects and deforestation
 Insufficient access to land for commercial farming since most of
this is under customary land tenures
 Vandalism /Theft of New Technologies (i.e. Solar Equipment)
 High vacancy rates in critical positions, especially at middle and
lower levels which are affecting effective delivery of services
 Low funding levels to district offices is affecting operations and
sustainability of irrigation schemes
 Bans on exports for cereals i.e. maize
 Poor quality of seed (low germination; low yields)
 Expensive capital from the local banks because of high interest
rates i.e. Interests >40%
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VANDALISM
WASH AWAYS OF INFRASTRUCTURE
Monthly Rainfall at Ukanga
350.0
300.0
Amount (mm)
250.0
200.0
2013/14
150.0
2014/15
2015/16
100.0
50.0
-
Months
MOVING THE IRRIGATION AGENDA FORWARD
• Increase access to land, water resources (including dam
construction) and energy sources for the emerging farmers and
commercial farmers
• Ensure that investment by the Development partners is aligned to
the Irrigation Master Plan and Investment Framework
• Make markets Accessible(Governments should minimize
interference in commodity markets including price setting and
export bans because these actions distort markets and affects
farmers’ profitability and production-IWMI, 2015)
• Promote easy access to information (Appropriate investmentfriendly climate: clear policies, legislation and regulatory /
enforcement framework i.e. on Public Private Partnerships)
• There should be financial markets with affordable lending rates
Maize Exports (Source: FAOSTAT)
MOVING THE IRRIGATION AGENDA FORWARD…..…..
• Increase Investments in basic infrastructure i.e. including construction
of more irrigation schemes; dams (dams and intensify catchment
conservation practices), good transport; telecommunication,
electricity networks;
• Good support services: extension; input (seed, fertiliser, chemicals)
supply
• Strengthen collective initiatives and partnerships (strong water users
associations, cooperatives, emerging and commercial farmers) for
increased irrigation production and productivity. Government should
nature this through training and exchange visits.
• Improve access to technologies i.e. equipment (affordable motorised
pumps) and good agricultural practices
• Support emerging and commercial farmers: Outgrower schemes
(Kasinthula, Phata and Dwangwa), Illovo, Malawi Mangoes, Exagris,
Emerging farmers
RECOMMENDATIONS
 Government should pass an appropriate land bill to facilitate access to land by
developers
 There is need to construct sustainable water harvesting structures such as
dams to support irrigation development.
 Lobby with Seed Traders Association to improve the quality of seed which is
sold to irrigation farmers
 Treasury should consider increasing allocations for basic public infrastructure
even through PPPs
 Intensification of farmer and community sensitisation on the need for
catchment conservation and protection
 Introduce alternatives sources of power i.e. solar
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH!