Operational Efficiency Comparisons of Smart Water Irrigation Systems among Smallholder Farmers in East African Countries

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in adopting smart water irrigation systems among smallholder farmers in East African countries to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability. The study employs a mixed-methods approach including surveys, interviews, and data analysis from three East African countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda. Quantitative data on irrigation system performance metrics are collected using standardised tools. Findings indicate that the average operational efficiency of smart water irrigation systems among smallholder farmers in Ethiopia is y = 0. 8x + 1. 2 (where y represents operational efficiency and x represents investment costs), with a confidence interval of 0. 7, 0. 9 for robust standard errors. The study concludes that while smart water irrigation systems show promise in enhancing agricultural productivity, significant improvements are needed to optimise their performance across different farming contexts. Based on the findings, recommendations include targeted training programmes for farmers and continuous monitoring of system performance to ensure optimal resource allocation.