DAKAR, April 9, 2025 - The governments of the Sahel countries — Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and Chad — gathered in Dakar for a high-level forum marking the tenth anniversary of the Declaration on Irrigation in the Sahel, called the Dakar+10 Forum. On this occasion, they called for action to accelerate investments in irrigation to achieve the goal of bringing 1,000,000 hectares of land under full water control by 2035.
After three days of debates and reflections, the ministers of the Sahel countries adopted the new Dakar Declaration, committing to promoting efficient, effective, sustainable, and resilient irrigation in the face of environmental and socio-economic challenges.
In response to recent global challenges and the growing interconnection of environmental, health, economic, and geopolitical crises, the states have shifted toward food sovereignty policies, moving away from reliance on imported agricultural products. “Food sovereignty is possible not only given the immense potential in water, land, and energy in the region but also thanks to new technologies in the field of irrigation,” said Dr. Abdoulaye Mohamadou, Executive Secretary of the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS).
The 2013 Dakar Declaration on Irrigation in the Sahel had established an ambitious vision to strengthen resilience, food security, and economic prosperity. The achievements over the decade testify to the progress made toward this strategic horizon. The assessment by the participants revealed that although the irrigated areas increased by about 285,000 hectares, the set goal was not reached.
The Forum provided an opportunity for participants to adopt a new strategy defining five major investment priorities aimed at fostering a transformation in irrigation in the Sahel. These priorities include: (i) supporting national irrigation programs that integrate a regional aspect; (ii) improving the performance of public and community-led irrigation schemes; (iii) promoting farmer-led irrigation development; (iv) reducing the investment gap; (v) implementing an integrated territorial approach; (vi) diversifying water sources for better climate resilience; and (vii) strengthening the resilience of irrigation systems in the face of environmental and conflict challenges.
The importance of partnerships between states, financial institutions, researchers, and the private sector was highlighted to foster innovative and inclusive solutions. “Let’s invest in modern and resilient irrigation systems that will increase agricultural productivity, reduce our dependence on climatic hazards, and ensure a prosperous future for our populations,” said Dr. Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock of Senegal. “Together, let us make sustainable irrigation a pillar of agricultural transformation in the Sahel.”
Participants emphasized the fundamental role of farmers in production, including their contribution to financing irrigation systems. They agreed to increase the mobilization of resources from national budgets for irrigation financing, improve governance frameworks to enhance agricultural performance, accelerate the transformation of current irrigated production systems towards diversified and market-oriented cropping systems by improving value chains, and ensure the maintenance and modernization of existing infrastructure. They committed to strengthening regional cooperation to better coordinate cross-border irrigation initiatives, facilitate the harmonization of standards and strategic planning, and monitor progress toward collective irrigation goals in the Sahel.
“Dakar+10 must be a decisive turning point in the development of climate-resilient irrigated agriculture, which is essential for strengthening food security, creating jobs throughout the value chain, and thus reducing poverty in our region,” said Chakib Jenane, Director of Sustainable Development for West and Central Africa at the World Bank.
