Irrigation has multiple benefits for farmers. It allows for early-season planting, production of an additional crop in the dry season and crop diversification, and enables farmers to cope with dry spells in the wet season. Individually or in groups, farmers have, for centuries, introduced, expanded and optimized their irrigated production without dependence on external support. Farmer-led irrigation development (FLID) unfolds without being driven by government and has taken place largely “off-the-record”. Over the last two decades there has been increased awareness, by governments and development partners, of the massive areas involved and the potential gains that FLID can bring.

Characteristically, farmers who autonomously develop irrigation are entrepreneurial innovators, targeting new markets and investing their own resources. Hundreds of thousands of farmers have developed irrigation themselves, but many more could benefit from improved agricultural water use practices. Many smallholder farmers are constrained by unfavorable surrounding conditions that slows their growth. They face hurdles which elevate risks and increase both financial and transaction costs. Where there is natural resource potential, such as in large parts of Africa, public action can help to address these hurdles. Public interventions with an expansion focus have the potential to widen the circle of people who benefit, making it a faster and more inclusive process.