Spare part supplies for handpumps in Africa : success factors for sustainability

Hand pump installation is the most widespread solution for supplying water to the many millions of people in Africa’s rural areas. However, at any given moment an average 30 percent of all potentially functional hand pumps in Africa are not working. In some areas 50 percent or more are non-functional, due in part to difficulties in obtaining spare parts.

This field note describes lessons drawn from a review of 25 studies conducted in 15 different countries that looked at hand pump spare parts supply, particularly in rural areas of African. The research suggests a number of key factors that are necessary for successful and sustainable hand pump spare part supply chains. These are discussed under the headings of supply chain management, choice of technology, and type of supply chain (whether private sector, public sector, or private/public partnership). Research worldwide shows that overall management of hand pump spare-part supply chains is carried out primarily by donors and governments, although the supply chains themselves generally involve both the public sector and private enterprise.

There is no single best solution to supply chain development. Detailed market assessment techniques have to be used to quantify private sector demand. At the same time the value of a process approach, described as a ‘learning journey’, is recognized as a realistic way to raise stakeholders’ understanding of private and public sector dynamics and capacity. The ‘learning journey’ is a coordinated stakeholder approach with the potential to facilitate the development of informed options for end users.