Comparing the impacts of different irrigation systems on the livelihoods of women and youth: evidence from clustered data in Ghana

Abstract

ABSTRACT In Sub-Saharan Africa, empirical evidence has shown that irrigation can have positive impacts on agricultural production and farm incomes. This study uses a rigorous propensity score matching analysis applied to clustered data from two state-led and two farmer-led irrigation examples in Ghana to quantitatively evaluate the intersectional impacts of different types of irrigation on multiple dimensions of farmers’ livelihoods. The results of our study indicate that although farmer-led irrigation enhances farmer incomes, this does not necessarily translate into poverty alleviation and prosperity. Furthermore, impacts on young men, young women and adult women are of a different nature.