Establishing Hybrid Water Use Rights Systems In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Practical Guide For Managers

Challenges facing smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa include navigating the legal and regulatory environment. This guideline sets out practical options for water resources managers for amending existing water use rights systems to better support inclusive rural development and farmer-led irrigation while also ensuring the sustainable use of limited water resources. This guideline aims to support water managers in making choices that will lead to more secure water use rights for agricultural livelihoods for small-scale farmers, as well as the development of economically vibrant and empowered rural communities. In doing so, it challenges the idea that water permit systems are the only tool for the regulation and control of water use and poses an alternative, hybrid approach that can be adopted and adapted to achieve improved pro-poor and developmental outcomes.