Participatory mapping of irrigation schemes in Tanzania, Mozambique and Zimbabwe and their value for multi-level learning

Mdemu, M V and Kimaro, E G and Tafula, M and de Sousa, W and Moyo, M and Parry, K and Bjornlund, H and Mukwakwami, N and Ramshaw, P (2023) Participatory mapping of irrigation schemes in Tanzania, Mozambique and Zimbabwe and their value for multi-level learning. Agricultural Water Management (TSI), 290. pp. 1-14. ISSN 0378-3774

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Abstract

This paper analyses the capacity of participatory mapping as a multi-level learning process to identify and overcome current barriers to productivity within small-scale irrigation schemes. The analysis is based on thirteen smallholder irrigation schemes in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, where farmers, project officers and other key stakeholders participated in informal mapping teams to map the schemes. Critically, participatory mapping translated problems generally known by stakeholders into problems that were publicly known, making their resolution a shared responsibility. Hence, problems identified at both the scheme and plot levels led to immediate responses by the farmers, irrigator organizations, and government departments, boosting farmers’ agency and confidence and renewing their sense of scheme and plot ownership. It is important that irrigation agencies prioritize participatory processes and the use of informal networks to improve farmers’ understanding of their resource and management challenges and to build their sense of ownership and responsibility for effective management of irrigation schemes.

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Research Program : East & Southern Africa
CRP: UNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Southern Africa, Irrigation schemes, Participatory processes, Building adaptive capacity and agency, Multi-level learning, System change
Subjects: Others > Irrigation
Others > Watershed Management
Others > Southern Africa
Depositing User: Mr Nagaraju T
Date Deposited: 31 May 2024 06:37
Last Modified: 31 May 2024 06:37
URI: http://oar.icrisat.org/id/eprint/12687
Official URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
Projects: UNSPECIFIED
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Acknowledgement: This work was supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research [FSC/2013/006 & LWR/2016/137].
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