Accessing handpump spare parts: a study of Northern Malawi

Contrary to the author’s expectations, lack of access to spare parts was not found to be a leading cause of Afridev hand pumps remaining broken in Northern Malawi. This paper presents the findings of a broad study of spare parts access in the region, exploring how rural communities access Afridev spare parts and how the location of those communities affects their ability to do so. Study results find no relationship between the distance from a community to the nearest spare parts retailer and the duration of a pump breakdown, nor that access to spare parts is a key limiter of waterpoint functionality. Findings suggest that community ownership, organization, and willingness to repair a waterpoint are the most significant factors affecting how quickly a pump is repaired. The study also investigates the functionality of the retail supply chain, finding that the private-sector in Malawi is responsive to community spare part needs.