Balancing autonomy and support in Ghana's irrigation governance

ABSTRACT Water resource management in sub-Saharan Africa faces growing pressures from climate change, population growth, and rising competition over scarce water, especially in agricultural regions reliant on increasingly variable rainfall. While governments have long prioritized centralized management through formal irrigation schemes, informal farmer-led systems have become increasingly prominent. This study examines how institutional arrangements shape water governance by comparing water user associations (WUAs) in formal and informal irrigation schemes in Ghana's Upper East Region. Using Ostrom's design principles, and drawing on 160 interviews across 18 communities plus a participatory workshop, we analyse how different degrees of formalization influence infrastructure maintenance, community participation, and water allocation. Findings show that autonomy and external support are not opposing forces: support strengthens governance when it reinforces rather than replaces local decision-making. Infrastructure sustainability depends less on resource volumes than on alignment between governance structures and local maintenance capacities. Effective scaling requires retaining core elements of local autonomy while building targeted linkages to support institutions. We argue for moving beyond formal–informal dichotomies towards hybrid governance arrangements that combine state support with community-led management. These insights offer practical guidance for designing irrigation governance systems that enhance sustainability and equity in sub-Saharan Africa.