The Property Rights Challenges of Improving Access to Water for Agriculture: Lessons from the Sahel

In the Sahel, efforts have been made to improve access to water for agriculture through the creation of irrigation schemes and pastoral water points. In the past, decisions on the construction and operation of these water facilities were typically based on hydrological and technical factors alone, while issues concerning who has right over what before and after the water development project have often been neglected. However, if these issues are not properly addressed, water development projects can foster disputes, undermine the security of resource rights, and contribute to resource degradation. Drawing on the analysis of relevant legislation, on a literature review and on original fieldwork, this paper tackles the property rights issues raised by the creation and operation of irrigation schemes and pastoral water points, focusing on four Sahelian countries: Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.