One of the most striking things about some of the study sites in the A1 (smallholder) land reform schemes of Zimbabwe is the amount of small-scale irrigation going on. This is not on schemes or in formalised group gardens;but irrigation by individual farmers;many using small pump sets and pipes. This has been investigated in Masvingo;in Mvurwi in high-potential Mashonaland East;and in Chikobedzi in Chiredzi district in the dry lowveld. It seems to be a widespread phenomenon but is emerging largely unnoticed and unsupported. If the patterns seen in these studies sites are representative;this implies a very large and expanding irrigated area driven by individual initiative;largely unrecognised by agricultural and irrigation policy. This is perhaps the beginnings of a new ‘green revolutionled by farmers. Contains an article ‘Irrigating Africa: can small-scale farmers lead the way?’. Argues that as Zimbabwe contemplates new land and agriculture policies;farmer-led irrigation approaches must be central.
Authors and Publishers
Zimbabweland (Ian Scoones
Data provider
Mokoro is pleased to host the ’Land Rights in Africa’ site as a contribution to the land rights dialogue and related debates. This website was created in January 2000 by Robin Palmer, and was originally housed by Oxfam GB, where Robin worked as a Land Rights Adviser. A library of resources on land rights in Africa – with a particular focus on women’s land rights and on the impact of land grabbing in Africa – the portal has been well received by practitioners, researchers and policy makers, and has grown considerably over the years.