Adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies and its impact on land productivity: Evidence from Rwanda

In an attempt to identify solutions to the effects of erratic rainfall patterns and droughts that limit agricultural production growth, the Rwandan government has recently increased investments in irrigation development. In this study, we analyze the adoption of small-scale irrigation technologies(SSITs) and its impact on land productivity using cross-sectional data from a sample of 360 farmers in Rwanda. The study uses the propensity score matching technique to address potential self-selection bias. Our results reveal that adoption decisions are significantly influenced by factors such as education, farm size, group membership, gender, extension services, access to credit, access to weather forecast information, risk perceptions, access to a reliable source of water for irrigation, awareness of rainwater harvesting techniques, and awareness of subsidy programs. In addition, the results show that the adoption of SSITs has a significantly positive impact on land productivity. The study concludes with policy implications that highlight the need to promote the adoption of SSITs among farmers as a strategy to improve agricultural productivity and food security in Rwanda.