The project, undertaken under the aegis of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), is in two stages: Stage1 (carried out as Project R6184), an investigation into the probable future role of irrigation in the countries of the Sub-Saharan region of Africa and the feasibility of developing a checklist for small-scale irrigation, and stemming from that, Stage 2, preparation of the Checklist, field testing, and dissemination.

Covering low input surface irrigation from stream flows and shallow wells, the objective of the checklist is to improve the likelihood of sustainable development rather than to achieve an optimal project. Emphasis is placed on a participatory approach. While drawn up primarily for assessment of new farmer-requested developments, field trials have also shown it is useful for assessing both existing irrigation projects and rural development projects generally.

A particular concern in the Sub-Saharan African context is the lack of resources, both human and material. While elements of the checklist require input from specialists, it intended for simple field use by agricultural extension officers and junior graduate staff.

The checklist includes guidelines for the assistance of users and can also be used as a training tool to enable agricultural officers previously familiar with rainfed agriculture to assess potential for irrigation, and by irrigation and agricultural development students.

The checklist comprises four parts:

1. Project Proposal - Outline of principal features prepared by the community requesting the project

2. Preparatory Data Sheets - Initial compilation of background and technical data prepared by specialists at the offices of the responsible authority

3. Field Data Sheets- Information (from 2) about the proposed project is checked and amplified by extension officers/junior engineers through participatory discussion with the farmers involved

4. Checklist Summary - Possible constraints to the proposed development are summarised by the field team. Information compiled in the Field Data Sheets (see 3) are compared with listed parameters, and are identified as (I) "Not a Constraint", (ii) Minor Constraint", (iii) Major Constraint" or (iv) "Not Known". The last draws attention to areas which, should the scheme otherwise appear viable, will require further investigation.

The Checklist (hard copy ) was published in English in 1998 and following translation by FAO, with final editing being done by M Jean Goussard of the ICID French National Committee, in French in 1999.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, to publicise the Checklist, 10 hard copies have been sent free of charge to each ICID National Committee for local distribution, and to those countries without ICID representation, to the relevant FAO country office. Hard copies have also been provided to all other ICID National Committees for information. Hard copies are held by ICID Central Office, and by IPTRID (HR Wallingford and CEMAGREF) for distribution on request.

Articles on the project appeared in Water#5 (November 1997) and GRID#11 (Feb 1998)

In addition, the English version has been loaded onto the IPTRID Internet web-site in a form suitable for downloading :
(http://www.hrwallingford.co.uk/projects/IPTRID/checklist/home1.htm).

The English version has also been encoded for use by the FAO in their interactive CD-ROM on small-scale irrigation (which incorporates references from their own and other publications - including Project R5830).

W P Field, F W Collier, HR Wallingford Limited, Institute of Hydrology (1998) ICID Checklist for the Preparation of Small-Scale Irrigation Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa ICID Central Office, New Delhi, India
(Requests to receive this publication may be sent to ICID in New Delhi or to IPTRID Network at HR Wallingford)
This publication can also be downloaded in its entirety from the IPTRID Network web-site (see above)

CIID: Guide et Formulaires pour la Priparation des Petits Projets d'Irrigation en Afrique Sub-Saharienne - W P Field, F W Collier, HR Wallingford Limited, Institute of Hydrology

In November 1998, pre-publication copies of the French version were requested for distributiion at the joint FAO/IPTRID/ARID workshop on technology transfer in Ouagadougou (ARID: a grouping of West African countries involved in irrigation and drainage). Copies of the English version were also supplied.

The FAO CD-ROM on small-scale irrigation (see above) is expected to be completed later in 1999.

To monitor the effectiveness of the dissemination process and take up of the Checklist, ICID National Committees and FAO country offices receiving copies of the English version have been asked to provide distribution details. A similar request is being made to initial recipients of the French version.

A Portuguese translation of the Checklist is being prepared by the ICID Portuguese National Committee for use in the Region's Lusaphone countries.

ICID Working Group on Construction, Rehabilitation and Modernisation of Irrigation Projects

FAO - Land and Water Development Division

Tel: + 91 11 611 6837
Fax: + 91 11 611 5962
Email: icoiad@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in

Tel: +44 1491 835381
Fax: +44 1491 826352
Email: dfid-kar-water@hrwallingford.co.uk

Tel: +33 4 6704 6338 Fax: +33 4 6763 3795
Email: christiane.vannobel@cemagref.fr