Promoting up scaling of water system innovations: the case of Makanya watershed, Same, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
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Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Many innovations have shown to be effective in pilot studies, but the adoption of most of
these technologies on a wider scale has always been a concern. In the uplands of the
Makanya river watershed, terraces have higher extent of diffusion than in midland. The
reasons behind the high extent of adoption of terraces in the uplands were not clearly
known. However, these suggested that there could be special strategies behind the
diffusion of terraces, which when explored would help to develop strategies for wider
adoption and diffusion of water system innovations (WSIs) in the area.
A questionnaire
survey was used in conjunction with qualitative approaches such as focus group
discussions, key informant interviews, and semi structured interviews. Descriptive
statistics were the main tool used for data analysis. The findings made on the adoption and
diffusion of terraces technologies revealed that time factor, sufficient communities’
awareness on terraces, and intervention by NGOs and development projects were major
factors for wider diffusion of terraces technology. Terraces were introduced in the area by
the colonial government in 1930s, and in 1980s, NGOs with intervention in soil and water
conservation started working in the area. Time factor provided enough opportunity to build
sufficient communities’ awareness on terraces. Interventions by NGOs and development
projects in the 1980s, underlined the reason for increased uptake of terrace innovations
from 1980s though the technology was long before introduced in the study area. The
understanding of the diffusion of terraces technology enabled the study to develop a
framework that could promote up scaling of water systems innovations (WSIs) at
watershed level. The framework could not be tested due to limitation by resources.
However it is recommended that it should be tested and improved for successful scaling upiii
of WSIs at watershed level. This will bring improved livelihood of people in the
watershed. Key elements of the framework are: validation of innovation to be scaled up,
introduction to authorities, identification of potential local change agents, establishment of
local change agents, employment of appropriate diffusion pathways, and evaluation of the
scaling up processes.
Description
MSc. Dissertation
Keywords
Water system innovations, Makanya watershed, Same District, Kilimanjaro Region