SMALL-SCALE IRRIGATION IN ANGOLA - POTENTIAL AND PROMISE

Traditional water management and irrigation techniques in Africa have frequently been ignored in irrigation statistics-and therefore in planning considerations too. Many countries (Such as Tanzania, Nigeria, Kenya) have significant areas under traditional irrigation methods, areas which often far outweight those under government-established irrigation systems. This is the case in Angola. There is hope at present that the country may be emerging from its long civil war. If so, then the opportunities to learn from the experience of other African countries and to develop enlightened irrigation development policies should be grasped.