Gender, irrigation scheme and the empowerment question:

Abstract

With an estimated 70% of the 11.6 million Zimbabweans living in impoverished rural areas, and dependent on smallholder agriculture for their livelihoods, it follows that improvements in this sub-sector can contribute to poverty alleviation, particularly food insecurity. This depends on appropriate water management in such a semi-arid climate, like that of Umzinyatini Irrigation Scheme of Matabeleland South. This scheme possesses a lot of potential to boost food security in the district of Umzingwane. Gender sensitive policies from NGOs and Government Institutions need to be developed to harness the gigantic agricultural potential of the Scheme. Little information is recorded on smallholder irrigation schemes in Africa. Most of the information, which does exist, relates either to the area of land irrigated or volume of production. On farmer-managed schemes, recorded information generally relates to the financial needs of the system. There are virtually no data relating to the activities of men and women separately. A major paradigm shift is needed to address the imbalances related to gender and sustainable smallholder irrigation.