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Title The Changing Faces of Farmer-Led Irrigation: Lessons from Dynamic Irrigation Trajectories in Kenya and Zimbabwe
Full text https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/the-changing-faces-of-farmer-led-irrigation-lessons-from-dynamic-
Date 2023
Author(s) Duker, Annelieke E.C.; Maseko, Sambulisiwe; Moyo, Mehluli A.; Karimba, Benson M.; Bolding, Alex; Prasad, Pooja; de Fraiture, Charlotte; van der Zaag, Pieter
Abstract Farmer-led irrigation is valued for its resilience and ability to cope with shocks and benefit from opportunities. Yet, typologies of farmer-led irrigation are mostly static categorisations without analysing farmers' decision-making over time, and without studying 'failed' cases. We therefore analysed temporal changes in farmers' irrigation strategies to expand, downscale or cease practices as part of wider livelihood decisions and aspirations. This longitudinal study presents irrigation trajectories of 32 farmers in the arid lands of two contrasting socioeconomic settings in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Data were collected through multiple rounds of surveys and in-depth interviews. Results show that farmers frequently alternated strategies or ceased or restarted operations over the years, both by force and choice. Although many farmers were able to start, expand or sustain irrigation, not all managed or aspired to remain engaged in irrigated farming, even if the enabling environment was conducive for market-oriented irrigation development. We therefore conclude that farmers' needs cannot always be expressed in general terms of growth or commercial farming, nor can they always be satisfied by improving the enabling environment, which may be based on static ontologies of diverse types of farmers.
Subject(s) Smallholder irrigation; aspirations; farmer-led irrigation development; longitudinal study; rural livelihoods; sand river aquifers
Language en
Relation https://edepot.wur.nl/633349
Type of publication info:eu-repo/semantics/article; Article/Letter to editor; info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Format application/pdf
Source Journal of Development Studies 59 (2023) 9; ISSN: 0022-0388
Rights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/; info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/; Wageningen University & Research
Identifier 10.1080/00220388.2023.2204176
Repository Wageningen - University of Wageningen
Added to C-A: 2023-09-13;10:30:18