The role of soil water monitoring tools and agricultural innovation platforms in improving food security and income of farmers in smallholder irrigation schemes in Tanzania

Abstract

2020) The role of soil water monitoring tools and agricultural innovation platforms in improving food security and income of farmers in smallholder irrigation

Transforming failing smallholder irrigation schemes in Africa: a theory of change

“…AIP processes enabled farmers to engage regulators and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to innovate further. Foundational data is from household surveys conducted by TISA at the start of the research (2014) and four years later (2017) to assess changes in farming practices and the well-being of farm households at five irrigation schemes following TISA project interventions (Bjornlund et al, 2018;Chilundo et al, 2020;Mdemu et al, 2020;Moyo et al, 2020). More detailed, quantitative assessments of aspects such as changes in inequality (Manero et al, 2020), as well as qualitative assessments of AIP processes and changes in institutions, are also used to assess the extent of the changes (van Rooyen et al, 2020).…”

The importance of learning processes in transitioning small-scale irrigation schemes

“…Incentives for action are important, and we propose that the reduced need for irrigation labour and improved yields and income were critical in driving individual learning and the spread of change beyond those who had the tools. The emergence of improved collective action (preparedness to participate in scheme maintenance and pay for water) represents another outcome of aggregate change in behaviour (Chilundo et al, 2020;Mdemu et al, 2020;Moyo et al, 2020). These findings align with another characteristic of complex adaptive systems, whereby the aggregation of changes in the strategies of adaptive actors leads to the emergence of large-scale behaviour (Holland, 1995).…”

“…While the AIP was primarily introduced to implement improvement in the system, it is clear that it has facilitated an environment where a learning system has developed in which knowledge has been generated and shared among stakeholders at various levels. Farmers' adaptation has led to many positive impacts for households and the emergence of scheme-scale benefits: reductions in water use; more nutrients retained in the root zone; greater yields; and produce being sold into more profitable markets (Chilundo et al, 2020;Mdemu et al, 2020;Moyo et al, 2020). The result is higher farmer profitability and better functionality of schemes.…”

“…Extension staff also appear to have gained from their increased contribution and farmers' appreciation of it, leading to more motivated and engaged extension officers. Mdemu et al (2018), Mdemu et al (2020), Moyo et al (2018). Table 6 shows where learning has taken place in the wider system, fostered by the AIP, a combination of the tools and AIP, and in some cases directly by TISA's research teams.…”

Growth and inequality at the micro scale: an empirical analysis of farm incomes within smallholder irrigation systems in Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Mozambique

“…The other key intervention was the establishment of 'agricultural innovation platforms' to help farmers and their communities overcome barriers to higher productivity and profitability. For a discussion of these interventions and their outcomes, see Moyo et al (2020) for Zimbabwe, Mdemu et al (2020) for Tanzania, and Chilundo et al (2020) for Mozambique.…”