@article{fdi:010075204,
  title = {{R}e-introducing politics in african farmer-led irrigation development : introduction to a special issue},
  author = {{V}eldwisch, {G}. {J}. and {V}enot, {J}ean-{P}hilippe and {W}oodhouse, {P}. and {K}omakech, {H}. {C}. and {B}rockington, {D}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{T}his introduction is a reflexive piece on the notion of farmer-led irrigation development and its politics. {I}t highlights the way the varied contributions to the {S}pecial {I}ssue support a shared perspective on farmer-led irrigation development as a process whereby farmers drive the establishment, improvement, and/or expansion of irrigated agriculture, often in interaction with other actors. {W}e analyse how the terminology is used and reproduced, and what it means for our understanding of irrigation policy and practices in sub-{S}aharan {A}frica. {A} central tenet of our argument is that farmer-led irrigation development is inherently political, as it questions the primacy of engineering and other expert knowledges regarding the development of agricultural water use practices in {A}frica as well as the privileging of formal state planning or technical solutions. {W}e show how mainstream understanding of farmers' engagement focuses on (1) regulation and control, (2) profitability, and (3) technical efficiency. {W}e demonstrate how these three perspectives have contributed to depoliticised readings of farmer-led irrigation (development), which has been essential to the ability of the terminology to travel and find global allies. {S}econd, we explore the paradox of the invisibility of farmer-led irrigation development in national policies and practices. {W}e discuss practical and political reasons underlying this silence and point out that there are important advantages for irrigators in not being visible. {I}n conclusion we highlight what can be gained from adopting an explicitly political analysis of the processes through which farmers engage in irrigation on their own terms.},
  keywords = {{I}rrigation ; farmer-led irrigation development ; sub-{S}aharan {A}frica ; irrigation policies ; state planning ; expert knowledges ; {AFRIQUE} {SUBSAHARIENNE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{W}ater {A}lternatives : an {I}nterdisciplinary {J}ournal on {W}ater {P}olitics and {D}evelopment},
  volume = {12},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {1--12},
  ISSN = {1965-0175},
  year = {2019},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010075204},
}