Tackling rural poverty, together

Extract

The Community Groundwater Irrigation Sector Project (CGISP) assits farmers to access credit for water user groups. The project is based on on water User Groups of 5-8 farmers to jointly access irrigation. Water User Associations, of 25-50 groups will form multipurpose cooperatives allowing them to construct, operate and maintain shallow tube wells (STW) and have access to services to increase agricultural productivity and marketing. Social mobilization has made farmers aware of their rights and entitlements, thus empowered the communities to give them more confidence to demand services from line agencies and banks, where previously they felt excluded. This in turn increased motivation among target farmers to participate in STW irrigation.