The Dynamics in stakeholder involvement in irrigation agriculture in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Irrigated agriculture is the most viable means of reducing crop failure, hunger, and malnutrition in Africa, and an effective means for improving the competitiveness of smallholder farming in most parts of Africa. Unfortunately, smallholder community irrigation schemes have proved to be unsustainable beyond external support despite the potential benefits of this technology. This appears to be exacerbated by the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the establishment, management and rehabilitation of the smallholder irrigation schemes. The objective of this article is investigating the changes in the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the schemes with the aim of establishing the effects of multiple stakeholder engagement in the sustainability of community irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe. The study confirms that a myriad of players are involved in different aspects of community irrigation schemes. The roles of these players have been very fluid in the period stretching from 1912 to the present moment. The irrigation schemes have been victims of unfortunate historical in both the socio-economic and political fronts that compromised the commitment, capacities and resources of the relevant stakeholders. These changes did not give farmers the opportunity to be self-sustaining in the operation and maintenance of the  irrigation schemes.

Key words: sustainability, smallholder irrigation schemes, stakeholder, Involvement