Title:
STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT DURING PROJECT INITIATION: A SUSTAINABILITY FACTOR OF SMALLHOLDER DONOR-FUNDED IRRIGATION PROJECTS IN ZVIMBA DISTRICT, ZIMBABWE

Authors:
Oliver Matsika ; Osward Marara and Emmanuel F. Chinamasa ,Zimbabwe

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine whether the involvement of stakeholders during initiation of donor-funded smallholder irrigation projects in Zvimba district, Zimbabwe, was a critical sustainability factor. Donor-funded smallholder irrigation projects investments enhance water security for agricultural production and improve peasant farmers’ livelihoods in the face of climate change induced risks. While these donor-funded smallholder irrigation investments have historically empowered local communities, ensured food security and contributed to economic growth, we have an incomplete understanding of why they collapse after the withdrawal of the donors. This paper addresses this gap by adopting the pragmatism philosophy which prompted the use of whatever works to explore how involvement of stakeholders during initiation of irrigation investments influences its sustainability. To do so, stratified and purposive sampling techniques were used to select a population of 360 people who included donor-funded irrigation project beneficiaries, community, local leaders and Agritex officers for a Zvimba district case study. The results advance that collapses of investments are consequences of non-involvement of beneficiaries in initiation of donor-funded smallholder irrigation projects. The findings highlight that in the context of irrigation projects in Zvimba district, donors, government officials and political actors were the only participants during needs assessment, stakeholder identification and project designing phases. Project beneficiaries from the communities and suppliers of irrigation equipments and inputs only came on board during the project construction phases. While findings remain contextual to the Zvimba district study area, the study concludes that non-involvement of beneficiaries, inputs suppliers, buyers, interest groups in the initiation process of the donor-funded irrigation project was a critical sustainability factor. In that context, the study recommended the adoption of a participatory donor-funded smallholder irrigation project initiation model, which calls for the involvement of all stakeholders for the entire irrigation project development life cycle.