Ethiopia: Climate Resilient Irrigation for Sustainable Production (CRISP)

pipeline

The CRISP project aims to improve access to resilient irrigation services in selected areas of Ethiopia. The project will strengthen the performance, reliability, and climate resilience of irrigation systems by rehabilitating and modernizing key large- and medium-scale schemes, upgrading irrigation infrastructure down to on-farm systems, and expanding small-scale irrigation in vulnerable and food-insecure areas. It will introduce climate-smart and energy-efficient technologies to enhance water-use efficiency and sustainability, and pilot innovative approaches such as irrigation service fee systems, private service provision, water allocation and monitoring mechanisms, and salinity management practices. The project will further support agricultural production and value chain development by improving farmers’ access to inputs, mechanization, and markets, and by strengthening agri-business linkages to increase productivity and incomes. It will promote inclusive and participatory management models, empower water user associations and female farmers, and foster private sector engagement in irrigation services, financing, and agricultural commercialization. In addition, the project will establish digital tools for national irrigation information and asset management, enhance dam safety and environmental and social risk management, and build institutional and technical capacity at federal and regional levels to sustain climate-resilient irrigation development.