Sustainability of irrigation schemes for small scale farmers: a case study of furrow irrigation scheme at Buleya Malima, Gwembe Valley Zambia.
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Date
1995
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
This study was carried out to determine factors that influence sustainability of smallholder irrigation schemes in Zambia.This was against background the that many schemes have been opened by the government to resettle people and have operated smoothly under its management. But upon government withdrawal, farmers have failed to manage these schemes. The study was carried out at Buleya Malima smallholder irrigation scheme.The objectives of study were; (a) to evaluate the schemes using technical and socio-economic parameters inherent current practices in the scheme,
and, (c) improving the performance assess the to make recommendations for of the (b)scheme to
and management practices. The average results for technical study were: 26.4%, 64.5% and 9.2%
for application efficiency, tailwater ratio and deep percolation ratio respectively. The results revealed thSustainability of irrigation schemes for small at there was a waste of water by farmers through tailwater runoff. Thus, the system was performing poorly, and could not be sustained at these levels of water loss.The study on socio economic revealed that irrigated farming could be sustainable if properly designed and planned with
the involvement of the farmers. The big problem was lack of managerial ability innovativeness and by the scheme management to provide farmers with enabling environment to form their own viable organisations which could see the continuity of the scheme even after the government had withdrawn.
Farmer Participation in planning,decision-making and implementation of these decisions is advisable in order to sustain the scheme operations. Enabling environment for Management should create farmers to form viable associations through which farmers and management would co ordinate their operations. Formal and informal training in technical operations of irrigation infrastructure and new agricultural practices should be provided, so that farmers are able to operate the irrigation system with minimum dependence on management trained management Therefore,
personnel to provision of well impart appropriate knowledge on the operations and maintenance of irrigation system is advisable.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Smallholder irrigation, Irrigation system, Land use, Small scale farmers