The expansion of agricultural output in developing countries depends critically on the availability of reliable and cost-effective energy supplies for irrigation. Pumping is becoming increasingly important to the overall productivity of agricultural output and to expansion of irrigated land. However, it is now being realized that the availability and reliability of such energy supplies for irrigation can no longer be taken for granted. For instance, in the Sudan $100 million (US) in agricultural output was lost in 1984 when a shortage of energy supplies stopped irrigation and tillage activities. A shortage of diesel fuel for pumped irrigation reduced the yield of irrigated crops in some parts of Somalia by 40 to 60 percent during 1984. And, in a remote area of Madagascar over 1,100 hectares were taken out of rice production for a lack of energy and irrigation pumping capacity.