ANALYSIS OF IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT POST FAST TRACK LAND REFORM PROGRAMME. A CASE STUDY OF GOROMONZI DISTRICT, MASHONALAND EAST PROVINCE, ZIMBABWE

Abstract

Irrigation development is a gateway to increased agricultural, water and land productivity, increased household and national food security. However, irrigation development has been a major challenge in many developing countries, including Zimbabwe. The launch of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme (FTLRP) in 2003 ushered in new unskilled cadres and this was followed by a reduction in area developed for irrigation from 200,000ha to approximately 120,000ha. This was due to thefts, dilapidation, and vandalism of irrigation infrastructure. The government made efforts to develop and bring back the 200,000ha into operational, but little has been achieved. To assess irrigation development post FTLRP, a case study was done in Goromonzi District. Using a Trend Analysis to assess the trend in irrigation funding, a downward trend was revealed. A Gross Margin Analysis, modeled via the Business Coefficient Expansion Factor (BCEF) to evaluate productivity and profitability of the irrigation enterprises showed that farmers performed below average and major irrigation crops were below the ideal BCEF threshold of 2.5, suggesting non-profitability of irrigation enterprises. An analysis on infrastructure revealed that most of it was partially or non-functional, hence farmers reduced area under irrigation. The study also revealed non-accessibility of training services by farmers. The study concluded that inadequate irrigation funding, low irrigation productivity, nonprofitability of irrigation enterprises, poor cost recovery mechanisms and lack of relevant training has led to low irrigation development. The study recommends that national governments should formulate and hold sound irrigation development strategies and encouraged to partner with public and private institutions in defining and implementing such comprehensive strategies for sustainable irrigation development.Irrigation, irrigation development, funding, productivity, cost recovery, viable, FTLRP, Crop Production/Industries,