Pavelic P. auteur aut IRD Smakhtin V. auteur aut IRD Favreau Guillaume auteur aut IRD Villholth K. G. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf reformatted digital access Strategies for increasing the development and use of groundwater for agriculture over much of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are urgently needed. Expansion of small-scale groundwater irrigation offers an attractive option to smallholder farmers to overcome unreliable wet-season rainfall and enhance dry-season production. This paper presents a simple, generic groundwater-balance-based methodology that uses a set of type-curves to assist with decision making on the scope for developing sustainable groundwater irrigation supplies, and to help understand how cropping choices influence the potential areal extent of irrigation. Guidance to avoid over-exploitation of the resource is also provided. The methodology is applied to 2 sites in West Africa with contrasting climatic and subsurface conditions. At both sites the analysis reveals that there is significant potential for further groundwater development for irrigation whilst allowing provisions for other sectoral uses, including basic human needs and the environment. specialized groundwater irrigation water balance over-exploitation Sub-Saharan Africa 062 Adams S. ed. edt IRD Cobbling I ed. edt IRD 38 3 spécial 399-405 2012 0378-4738 International Conference on Groundwater, Pretoria (ZAF), 2011/09/19-21 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/PAR00009111 10.4314/wsa.v38i3.5 0378-4738 [F B010081607] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/PAR00009111 https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers21-03/010081607.pdf IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2012-09-03 2021-04-01 PAR00009111 fre