%0 Journal Article
%@ 0790-0627
%A Van Rooyen, A F
%A Ramshaw, P
%A Moyo, M
%A Stirzaker, R
%A Bjornlund, H
%D 2017
%F icrisat:10016
%I Taylor & Francis
%J International Journal of Water Resources Development
%K Agricultural Innovation  Platforms; complex  systems; smallholder  irrigation; market-oriented  development; Mozambique;  Tanzania; Zimbabwe
%N 5
%P 804-823
%T Theory and application of Agricultural Innovation Platforms for improved irrigation scheme management in Southern Africa
%U http://oar.icrisat.org/10016/
%V 33
%X Many small-scale irrigation systems are characterized by low yields and deteriorating infrastructure. Interventions often erroneously focus on increasing yields and rehabilitating infrastructure. Small-scale irrigation systems have many of the characteristics of complex socio-ecological systems, with many different actors and numerous interconnected subsystems. However, the limited interaction between the different subsystems and their agents prevents learning and the emergence of more beneficial outcomes. This article reports on using Agricultural Innovation Platforms to create an environment in which irrigation scheme actors can engage, experiment, learn and build adaptive capacity to increase market-related offtake and move out of poverty.
%Z The research in this article was part of the project Increasing Irrigation Water Productivity in  Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe through On-Farm Monitoring, Adaptive Management and  Agricultural Innovation Platforms, partially funded by the Australian government via the Australian  Centre for International Agricultural Research. The project was also supported in Zimbabwe by the  CGIAR Research Program on Water, Land and Ecosystems and CGIAR Fund Donors.This work was supported   by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under [grant number FSC/2013/006].