The value of irrigation water in Nyanyadzi smallholder irrigation scheme, Zimbabwe (original) (raw)
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2018
Food security is a top priority concern on the Zimbabwean socio-political agenda. Zimbabwe’s food security is challenged by several physical, socio-political and policy factors, including: population growth; industrialization and urbanization; land and water use changes, water shortage; income changes and nutritional evolution. This paper explores the effects of water management practices on crop yields in smallholder irrigation schemes. CROPWAT was used for data analysis on two convectional cereal crops (maize and sugar beans). Results show that there was a significant difference in the yield of plots with drains and plots without drains for both maize and sugar beans production. This meant that drains had a positive effect on the yields of maize and sugar beans and implies that different water management practices affect crop yields differently. Good drainage practices improved crop yields. The recommended policy action is that food crop farmers on smallholder irrigation schemes s...
Assessing crop water productivity at Nyanyadzi smallholder irrigation scheme in Zimbabwe
2021
This study determines the effects of variations in relative water supply (RWS) on bean and wheat crop water productivity (WP) under irrigation in Block C at Nyanyadzi irrigation scheme in Zimbabwe. Water supply, bean and wheat crop yield data spanning 17 cropping seasons from 1970 to 2003 were obtained from the irrigation scheme files. Research findings show a weak and significant (R2=0.448, p = 0.006) quadratic relationshipbetween bean WP and RWS. Whereas, for the wheat crop, the relationship WP and RWS is a linear and significant (R2 = 0.438, p = 0.004). Based on the research findings, the study recommends the measures to improve water supply and therefore, crop production. These include among others, switching to more drought tolerant crop varieties that require less water, rainfall harvesting, water conservation measures to retain soil water and, use of more efficient water application methods.
Productivity barriers and opportunities influencing smallholder irrigation sustainability in Zimbabwe were identified using case studies of the Silalatshani and Mkoba irrigation schemes. The major barriers were poor infrastructure and soil fertility, and poor access to farm inputs, farm implements, functioning markets and agricultural knowledge, which resulted in low yields, food insecurity and negative farm income. Most irrigated land remains unused, and marketing of produce is uncoordinated. Mobile technologies provide opportunities for market information dissemination. Institutions are needed to continuously encourage dialogue among agricultural value chain stakeholders to allow irrigators to align their operations to market demands and improve the viability of irrigation systems. Keywords: Productivity barriers and opportunities, smallholder irrigation systems, sustainability, irrigation productivity, Zimbabwe