Published by Manual of Good Practices in Small Scale Irrigation in the Sahel Experiences from Mali January 2014 Acknowledgements This good practice manual was developed in collaboration with a large number of organisations in Mali that were willing to share their substantial on-the-ground experience and contribute to this joint effort. We would like to thank all the projects and state or non-state structures that have contributed in some way to the realisation of this manual by making themselves available, providing their time and professional contributions, and doing so in a spirit of cooperation and goodwill. They include: • Bakary Sékou COULIBALY, Mamadou NADIO – International Fund for Agricultura Development (IFAD) • Célestin DEMBELE, Maïga Rosaline DACKO, Lassana KEITA, Idrissa GUINDO, Moussa DOUMBIA, Jacques TAMINI – HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation • Dieneba CISSE – Support Programme for Territorial Communities (PACT) • Jan JAKOBIEC, Simon BOIVIN, Mamadou DIARRA – Canadian International Devel- opment Agency (CIDA) • Jean Parfait DAKO, Dalla DIARISSO – National Directorate of Agriculture • Matthias KLIEWE, Yehia Ag Mohamed ALI, Pierre GUIROU, Huub MUNSTEGE – North Mali Programme/Irrigation Projects in the Niger Inland Delta (PMN/IPRODI) • Minamba TRAORE, Ousmane TRAORE, Mamadou COULIBALY, Moussa BAGAYKA– Integrated Initiatives for Economic Growth in Mali (IICEM) • Mohamed HAÏDARA, Yacouba BALLO – Malian Association for Food Security and Sovereignty (AMASSA – Afrique Verte Mali) • Oumar ASSARKI – Agricultural Competitiveness and Diversification Programme (PCDA) • Ralf SCHNEIDER, Abass OUOLOGUEM, Mamadou Gallo KONE – Small-scale irriga- tion in Dogon Country and the Bélédougou region (IPRO-DB) • Sourakata COULIBALY, Joseph DIABANA – BØRNEfonden The consultants would also like to thank: the Support Programme for the Sub-Sector Small- Scale Irrigation (PASSIP) team for funding this work and for their support during the develop- ment and writing process; and the National Directorate for Rural Engineering of the Malian Ministry of Agriculture. I II Soumaïla Samaké National Director of Rural Engineering Ministry of Rural Development An introduction to the Manual of Good Practices in Small-scale irrigation It is with great pleasure that I present this manual to all those involved in designing, installing and using irrigation infrastructure. It was our desire when putting together this manual to provide you with a tool that would sup- port you in your efforts to develop the potential of small-scale irrigation. Thanks to your support, courage and perseverance, we have, since 2008, been able to draw upon a formulation document for the National Programme for Small-scale Irrigation (PNIP), in which the small-scale irrigation concept and the planning mechanism for the implementation of the scheme are defined. As set out in the PNIP, our vision is ultimately that rural populations will ‘exploit the economic potential of small-scale irrigation to increase incomes through productive and sustainable agri- culture’. As this involves developing functional infrastructure that meets the needs of producers and local authorities, it was deemed necessary to offer guidance to stakeholders in the form of a handbook summarising tried-and-tested good practices in implementation, scheme develop- ment and produce value enhancement in the context of small-scale dams and other run-off water harvesting structures. This manual is the culmination of that process. In addition to this good practice manual, we have also begun drawing up technical manuals on the minimum standards for each type of scheme, which will serve as indispensable tools. Finally, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate and thank all those who have con- tributed or lent their support to the planning and implementation of the PNIP in general, and to the production of this manual in particular. I hope these good practices will prove widely informative and useful. III IV Table of contents 1 Capitalising on good practices ..................................................................................................................................1 2 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................................2 3 Updating and disseminating the manual ..............................................................................................................3 4 Good practices ...................................................................................................................................................................4 4.1 Good practices in planning ................................................................................................................................6 4.1.1 Participatory approach to small-scale irrigation .......................................................................6 4.1.2 Geographic concentration of small-scale irrigation schemes .........................................8 4.1.3 Identifying and prioritising scheme sites using a territorial, multi-stakeholder approach .....................................................................................................................10 4.1.4 Delegated cooperation between donors ..........................................................................................14 4.1.5 Creating scale models for the development of lowland areas and the participation of the farming community ..........................................................................................17 4.1.6 Using modern technologies in the design of small-scale irrigation schemes ... and in their monitoring and evaluation ...........................................................................................20 4.2 Good practices in installing small-scale irrigation infrastructure ....................................... 40 4.2.1 Lining irrigation canals ................................................................................................................................40 4.2.2 Village irrigation schemes developed using the PMN/IPRODI approach ............45 4.2.3 Earth embankment dams ............................................................................................................................51 4.2.4 Dams with water-spreading weirs ......................................................................................................55 4.2.5 Masonry micro-dams ......................................................................................................................................59 4.2.6 Cyclopean concrete micro-dams ...........................................................................................................63 4.2.7 Diversifying women’s income streams through market gardening ............................66 4.2.8 Deepening the channels supplying water to lakes and ponds ...................................70 4.2.9 Administering the process of implementing a small-scale irrigation scheme .......................................................................................................................................................................77 4.3 Good practices in small-scale irrigation scheme development ............................................. 80 4.3.1 System of rice intensification ..................................................................................................................80 4.3.2 Developing lands adjacent to small-scale irrigation schemes ....................................83 4.3.3 Using organic fertilisers on small-scale irrigation plots .................................................85 V 4.3.4 Integrated Production and Pest Management (IPPM) ........................................................87 4.3.5 Introducing tomato varieties using succession planting ................................................89 4.3.6 Promoting bourgou growing ...................................................................................................................94 4.3.7 Combining agroforestry and gardening to rehabilitate barren lands: the case of the Benkadi cooperative of Syn village ..........................................................97 4.3.8 Irrigation using a Californian network .......................................................................................101 4.3.9 Fish farming as a way of adding value to dam schemes .........................................104 4.3.10 Participatory Learning and Action Research for Integrated Rice Management (PLAR-IRM) .......................................................................................................................................................107 4.3.11 Delegating the management of facilities to users ...........................................................110 4.3.12 Developing professional standards in the installation, maintenance and management of pump units ................................................................................................................114 4.3.13 Centre for the Demonstration and Dissemination of Technologies (CDDT) ...116 4.3.14 Local agreements on the management of small-scale irrigation facilities ....................................................................................................118 4.3.15 Public audits as a civil oversight mechanism for project implementation ...........................................................................................................................122