Ethiopia's Farmer-Led Irrigation: A Revolutionary Approach

Ethiopia’s Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID) program marks a shift from top-down irrigation to farmer ownership. Backed by the World Bank through the Food Systems Resilience Program, FLID empowers farmers to choose, co-finance, and manage irrigation systems while government facilitates with guidance, training, and market links. The program blends lessons from pilots in Ethiopia and across Africa, introduces co-payment models for solar and diesel systems, and rolls out in three stages—from groundwork and capacity building to farmer mobilization and installation. With national scale-up planned, FLID is positioning smallholders to boost productivity, resilience, and incomes in a changing climate. Ethiopia's agriculture has long walked a tightrope, dependent on unpredictable rainfall and vulnerable to devastating droughts. Past attempts at small-scale irrigation, often government-driven, struggled with crumbling infrastructure and patchy management. But a new, empowering chapter is unfolding: the Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID) Program. Championed by Ethiopia's Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and backed by the World Bank through the Ethiopia Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), FLID is providing water and shifting power. This innovative model puts farmers in the driver's seat, for managing their irrigation. The government, in this new model, acts as a facilitator, guiding a journey towards market-driven irrigation growth. Empowering Farmers to Lead - How FLID works At its heart, FLID is about ownership. Instead of top-down directives, individual farmers or groups of farmers are empowered to make decisions about their irrigation systems and are required to invest their money. This approach fosters responsibility and ensures solutions are tailored to local needs. The program is strategic, learning from successful pilots in Ethiopia and drawing on lessons from other African nations like Uganda. It is designed to complement existing government efforts and achieve self-sustaining irrigation systems. The program has 3 key features: Farmer ownership: Farmers make the decisions about the type of irrigation system and size they want, for which they must make a significant cash contribution. Government role: The government provides facilitation through guidance and resources, rather than direct implementation. Co-payments for equipment: To ensure ‘ownership’ and still make irrigation accessible, the program is part government payment - part farmer payment: Solar systems**:** 70% government - 30% farmer Diesel systems: 40% government - 60% farmer The program will start with a pilot phase in this fiscal year (2027), with full national rollout next fiscal year. A Three-Stage Rollout The FLID program is unfolding in carefully planned stages, ensuring a robust and successful transition for farming communities: Stage 1: Laying the Groundwork - Completed! Before any pumps can be installed, a comprehensive foundation must be built. This crucial preparation phase involved: Widespread consultations: MoA has engaged everyone from Regional Bureaus of Agriculture, Woreda staff, irrigation equipment suppliers, microfinance and banks. Blueprint for success: Developing the official FLID Implementation Guideline, brochures, implementation templates, irrigation equipment costing tool and an online project implementation platform for all staff to use. Building expertise: Training regional and Woreda (district) technical staff to ensure local support and know-how. A key highlight was the training of 158 staff members across 9 regions on FLID processes and technical content. Connecting with providers: Shortlisting 16 irrigation equipment suppliers and orienting them on FLID processes and farmer needs. Clear roles: Defining the responsibilities of all key players – the MoA, regional and Woreda offices, farmers, suppliers, and financial partners Stage 2: Mobilizing the Farmers - Currently Underway This exciting stage brings the program directly to the farming communities: Raising Awareness: Woreda staff are actively engaging farmers generating widespread interest. Expressing Intent: Farmers are providing expressions of interest to participate and are being registered in the project online platform, providing them a project unique ID. Farm Assessments: Woreda teams are assessing farm conditions and farmer eligibility to ensure the right fit. Initial Commitment: Farmers make a crucial first co-payment, representing 10% of the estimated equipment cost. Stage 3: Bringing Water to the Fields - Coming Soon! The final phase transforms plans into reality, bringing modern irrigation systems to life: Quotation and funding: Suppliers provide equipment quotations, farmers deposit their remaining co-payment, and the Government co-payment is secured. Installation and training: Supply contracts are signed, equipment is installed, and critically, farmers receive hands-on training to operate and maintain their new irrigation systems effectively. A Promising Horizon