Abstract
Food security is the major outcome of irrigation development activities. However, this cannot be achieved without sustainable water resources management. With the increasing budgetary constraints in many developing countries, governments have recognized the need to delegate irrigation scheme management to Irrigation Water Users’ Associations (IWUA’s) as much as possible. Despite the majority of these associations being operational, the major challenge has been poor performance due to inadequate farmer participation. This study examines the factors which influence farmers’ willingness to pay for irrigation water in a smallholder irrigation scheme in Kerio Valley Basin, Kenya. Using a multi-stage sampling method, a representative sample of 216 smallholder farmers from the Basin were interviewed. Results show that education level, access to training on irrigation, participation in construction of the irrigation system, crop income from irrigation and membership in IWUA significantly and positively influence farmers’ decisions to pay for irrigation water. Distance to the water source reduces the willingness to pay for irrigation water. Differential pricing based on income levels of farmers, rather than uniform pricing is recommended. We further recommend formulation of policies to train farmers in water management and to support farmer participation in IWUA’s.
Highlights
Declining availability of fresh water and increased competition for water use has resulted in declining food production in the semi-arid lands of Kenya (Ngigi, 2002)
In Kenya, irrigation uses over 69% of the limited developed water resources (Torori et al, 1995), with smallholder irrigation activities accounting for a third of the total irrigated area (National Irrigation Board, 2010)
Xn are respective factors hypothesized to influence the willingness to pay for irrigation water
Summary
Declining availability of fresh water and increased competition for water use has resulted in declining food production in the semi-arid lands of Kenya (Ngigi, 2002). This has necessitated scaling up of irrigation development activities in order to contribute to the attainment of enhanced food security. In Kenya, irrigation uses over 69% of the limited developed water resources (Torori et al, 1995), with smallholder irrigation activities accounting for a third of the total irrigated area (National Irrigation Board, 2010) Despite this high water use, the rate of irrigation development has declined over the years. A substantial amount of these resources has been used to support smallholder irrigation development in a bid to expand irrigation through the development of sustainable production systems (Government of Kenya, 2010)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call