The sustainable solution for irrigating your crops and watering your livestock using rainwater collected on your farm.
Water harvesting infrastructure is a method designed to tackle the challenges of limited water availability and irregular rainfall, especially in water-scarce regions. This approach uses various structures such as farm ponds, check dams, or small reservoirs, that capture and store water from streams and surface runoff. These structures vary in size and type depending on how long and how much water needs to be stored. Small-scale systems include natural depressions, dug-outs, water pans, and farm ponds, while larger-scale options involve embankment dams and reservoirs. By collecting and holding water that would otherwise be lost, these infrastructures provide reliable water sources for agriculture, reduce runoff, and support better soil moisture and crop growth.
This technology is not yet validated.
Adults 18 and over: Positive high
Others: Positive medium
The poor: Positive high
Under 18: Positive high
Women: Positive high
Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable
It is adaptable to different climatic environment
Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement
It improves farmers' capacity to adapt to climate change through more efficient water management
Biodiversity: Positive impact on biodiversity
Carbon footprint: Much less carbon released
Environmental health: Greatly improves environmental health
Soil quality: Improves soil health and fertility
Water use: Much less water used
More water is harvested for agricultural production in a sustainable way
Runoff Water Harvesting has several key benefits. It captures and stores rainfall runoff to provide water for irrigation and livestock during dry periods, contributing to enhanced food security and sustainable water management. This technique supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by boosting agricultural productivity, SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) through improved water availability and management, and SDG 15 (Life on Land) by preventing soil erosion and promoting land restoration. It is adaptable to different terrains and soil types, with options for small or large scale installation. These advantages lead to increased agricultural productivity and greater climate resilience for rural farms.
To integrate Runoff Water Harvesting into a project, follow these steps:
Raise Awareness: Educate farming communities on the importance of capturing runoff water to improve crop yields and water management.
Train Users: Provide training for farmers and extension agents on constructing ponds and embankment dams suited to local conditions and costs.
Select Sites: Identify ideal locations for water collection based on topography, soil type, and rainfall patterns.
Mobilize Resources: Secure necessary tools, construction materials, and skilled labor for building structures.
Construct Structures: Build water harvesting ponds or dams with appropriate dimensions for optimal storage.
Monitor and Maintain: Regularly check the condition of structures, manage sedimentation, and adjust water use accordingly.
Engage the Community: Involve end-users actively to ensure sustainability and responsible management.
The main beneficiaries include small and medium scale farmers in areas with irregular rainfall, livestock keepers relying on stored water, rural development institutions and cooperatives working on food security, and governments or programs focused on climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture.
Open source / open access
| Country | Testing ongoing | Tested | Adopted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benin | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Burkina Faso | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Ethiopia | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Ghana | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Kenya | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Mali | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Niger | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Nigeria | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
| Senegal | –No ongoing testing | –Not tested | Adopted |
This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.
| AEZ | Subtropic - warm | Subtropic - cool | Tropic - warm | Tropic - cool |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arid | – | – | – | |
| Semiarid | – | – | – | |
| Subhumid | – | – | – | |
| Humid | – | – | – | – |
Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.
The water harvesting check dam and farm pond enable farmers to harness water to boost food production
Enable better adaptation to climate change
Construction of Farm Pond/Check Dam
Farm ponds are constructed by excavation to create a pond for water storage, while a check dam is a simple stone-based embankment across a stream to retain water for agricultural use.
Farm Pond
Last updated on 28 October 2025