Climate-smart irrigation reaps rewards for rural women

In a changing climate, many small-scale farmers can no longer depend on old ways of farming to produce enough food for their families and earn a good income. But by using climate-smart irrigation and sustainable farming techniques, rural women around the world are adapting to the new normal. 

Meet three women whose sustainable farms are reaping rewards beyond their previous imagination.

Khampan’s village in north-eastern Lao PDR is famous for its vibrant, flavourful spring onions. Now she is showing how a bit of modern technology applied to traditional farming methods can yield a bumper crop. 

With a grant of 14 million kip (about US$700) from the IFAD-supported PICSA project, Khampan invested in a solar-powered water system and expanded her 0.2 hectare planted area to 0.35 hectares. The solar-powered system ensured a consistent water supply and saved her money. Meanwhile, the sustainable planting techniques she learned through PICSA, including the use of natural fertilizers and pesticides, have improved the quality of her crop. 

It’s no wonder Khampan’s spring onions are now growing rapidly. She harvests every 45 days and sells them to a middleman who takes them to the capital, Vientiane, where they fetch a good price. With a comfortable income and no expenditure on fuel, she has the spare funds to reinvest in her farm and save for the future. 

“With PICSA’s support my life has been transformed,” she says. “Now I contribute significantly to our household expenses and participate in family decision-making.”

Five years ago, Cristina worked hard to grow cabbages on her 2-hectare plot in central Moldova. But amid frequent droughts and rising temperatures, her yields were modest and poor quality.  

With some well-timed support, however, she has transformed the climate challenge into an opportunity for her business – and for her family’s future. After hearing about the experiences of other farmers, she applied for a grant of 112,000 lei (US$6,500) from the IFAD-funded TRTP programme. Contributing some of her own funds, she installed a micro-sprinkler irrigation system on her farm. 

“This year, thanks to water-efficient irrigation, we will harvest about 100 tons of cabbage per hectare,” Cristina says.  

Today, the farm covers 10 hectares and grows carrots, courgettes and watermelons in addition to cabbages. This agricultural diversification means that if one crop fails, Cristina has others to fall back on. She sells her produce through supermarket chains as well as in farmers’ markets, and she plans to apply for more financing and technical assistance to grow her business further. 

When Shelmith’s business faltered during the COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to move back from the city to her rural home in central Kenya and make a fresh start. But with a family of five and elderly parents to support, she couldn’t make a living from the family farm. 

Water was her greatest challenge. Climate change has made rainfall unpredictable — dry periods are longer, and when it rains it can rain hard. Often, Shelmith could only obtain water by walking to the River Thika 5 km away and lugging it back in 20-litre jerrycans. It could take up to 10 exhausting trips a day to get enough, and she had no choice but to let much of her land lie fallow. 

Today, Shelmith doesn’t even need to leave her compound to get water for her family and the farm. Working with the IFAD-supported Water Fund, she has installed a water pan that collects and stores the erratic rain. Through the Water Fund, she has also learned about the precise water requirements of different crops so that not a drop is wasted.  

Shelmith has water, time and energy to grow vegetables, both to feed her family and to sell for a profit. As her business grows, she is saving up to fulfil her dream of opening a small shop to serve her community. 

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Investments in climate-sensitive irrigation and sustainable farming methods can help small-scale farmers in developing countries adapt and flourish. While climate change has made agriculture harder for many, rural women like Shelmith, Cristina and Khampan are showing the way to a more sustainable farming future.