Title:
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF POLICIES AFFECTING/ INFLUENCING SUSTAINABILITY OF IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN ZVIMBA DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE

Authors:
Oliver Matsika ,Zimbabwe

Abstract:
This study sought to establish the perceptions of smallholders onpolicies which affected/ influenced the sustainability of donor-funded irrigation projects in Zvimba district, Zimbabwe. This study was motivated by the non-existence of a documented national irrigation policy in Zimbabwe, forty years after attaining its independence. Investigating smallholder perceptions of policies affecting/ influencing the sustainability of donor-funded irrigation projects required the use of the pragmatismphilosophy. It enabled the use of both the qualitative and quantitative research designs in data collection and analysis. The data was collected from purposive sample of 25irrigation project beneficiaries from Mukadzimutsva and Musarurwa irrigation projects, government officials and various government policy documents. These were considered to be rich sources of information. Survey, interviews and document analysis were used to gather the data. The study confirmed that Zimbabwe did not have a documented national irrigation policy forty years after independence. There were fragmented excerpts of policy issues on irrigation development and management in various government documents and Acts. Irrigation development policy influenced the sustainability of the donor-funded irrigation projects. The stakeholder non-involvement, fast track land reform programme, import substitution and user pays principle policies affected sustainability of irrigation projects. The unsustainability was aggravated by policy inconsistences and conflict of interest between government officials and donors. The study recommended the adoption of a participatory irrigation policy formulation model which actively engage key stakeholders in the crafting of the national irrigation policy