ABSTRACT
This chapter presents some general considerations on water and agriculture in Africa. It provides an outline of the diverse irrigation and drainage methods used. The chapter discusses the agronomic issues of rice, sugarcane and cotton production in the region. The interpretative review of the agronomic issues on irrigation in Africa examines the literature of Francophone and Anglophone West Africa, Central Africa, and to a more limited extent, the southern tier of African nations. The literature review is combined with observations from the author's experience in ten African countries. Both the history and the agronomy of sugarcane development are focused on large-scale production. Production has to be closely linked to processing operations to avoid post-harvest losses of sucrose conversion. Irrigation and/or drainage works are key features of many sugarcane plantations. In the same country, supplemental irrigation of cotton during the rainy season yields about 1,800 kg/ha.
