EWW-inventor Carl Beilenberg first witnessed the utility of the foot- powered treadle pump in 1985 on a trip to the Philippines. With Carl’s modified “universal treadle pump” design in hand, EWW embarked on its first small-scale irrigation program in Mali in 1987. WhatWorks asked Jon Naugle –director of EWW’s award-winning irrigation program in Niger – what makes a private sector irrigation program work and how EWW’s program has become the “gold standard.”

Q: EWW does extensive local market research before starting a project. Even when the economic and climatic conditions are right, how do you convince farmers to invest in a new, often unfamiliar technology?

A: First, it must be made clear to the customer that the technology will double his or her output, or at least increase it by 50%. We’ve found that subsistence farmers will rarely invest in a five or ten percent improvement. Second, any new technology has to be affordable. Our benchmark is a retail price of less than half the profit a farmer will earn in one season. Most farmers can then pay cash – which is a great incentive for the manufacturer – and still have enough money to invest in seed and fertilizer for the next planting season.

Q: What are the common pitfalls in trying to set up a private sector irrigation program?

A: Too often when an NGO has a great idea for a product, it is distributed before the kinks are worked out, and the customers are then disappointed. It’s important not to spend money on marketing and distribution until the product has been thoroughly field-tested. A bad reputation spreads much faster than a good one, and repairing a bad reputation is very difficult if not impossible.

Another problem is the giveaway mentality of many projects, which fosters dependence rather than empowerment and eats away at market-based approaches. EWW believes that “buy in” is key and has data that show that when you give something away it is much less likely to be used and maintained.

Q: So how does EWW build a good reputation and encourage farmers to invest in improved irrigation technologies?

A: First we focus on a few early adopters to prove that we have a successful product, and by thorough follow-up in the field we ensure that these risk takers fully understand how to use and maintain their pumps. Then it’s important not to scrimp on marketing. We do up to 200 demonstrations of the pumps in the first year of a project, as well as an integrated marketing campaign that can include everything from t-shirts to television advertising. Word of mouth is crucial; the early adopters can motivate more conservative farmers who tend to take a wait-and-see approach.

Q: A big part of EWW’s program involves training manufacturers. What advice do you give to them to increase their chances of success when the project ends?

A: We teach them to focus on consistent quality, good customer service and proactive marketing, especially in the early years. Repair and maintenance facilities and simple advice should be as close to the farmers as possible. We find that the most successful manufacturers tend to be located near clusters of farmers.

Q: How would you summarize EWW’s approach?

A: Start with a good product that meets the price and performance demands of the local market. Convince early adopters to try the product through targeted promotion. Provide follow-up in the field to make sure that early adopters succeed. Avoid becoming a link in the supply chain, but support the supply chain through publicity and on-going technical and business training. Our goal is to promote independence and to help build the market so that when we leave, sales continue. Our mantra at EWW is sustainability.

Jon Naugle is a Senior Program Officer for EnterpriseWorks. He was formerly Country Director for EWW in Niger, where he supervised the World Bank-funded private irrigation program, recipient of the 2002 AGFUND First Prize For Pioneering Development Project.