Designing Low-Cost Irrigation Systems for Drought-Prone Mali: An Engineering Perspective

Irrigation systems are crucial for agricultural productivity in Mali's arid regions where droughts significantly impact crop yields. A mixed-method approach combining hydrological modelling with empirical site assessments was employed to identify optimal system components and configurations. The preliminary results indicate a potential reduction of water use by 15-20%, which aligns with the objectives set for efficiency improvements. The designed systems show promise in enhancing agricultural resilience against drought, though further testing is required to confirm these findings. Further field trials and cost-benefit analyses are recommended before widespread implementation of the proposed irrigation solutions. Irrigation design, low-cost, hydrological modelling, climate-resilient agriculture The maintenance outcome was modelled as $Y_{it}=\beta_0+\beta_1X_{it}+u_i+\varepsilon_{it}$, with robustness checked using heteroskedasticity-consistent errors.