IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ags/iwmwpb/257964.html

Smallholder irrigation schemes in the Limpopo Province, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • van Koppen, Barbara
  • Nhamo, Luxon
  • Cai, Xueliang
  • Gabriel, M. J.
  • Sekgala, M.
  • Shikwambana, S.
  • Tshikolomo, K.
  • Nevhutanda, S.
  • Matlala, B.
  • Manyama, D.

Abstract

A survey of 76 public smallholder irrigation schemes in the Limpopo Province was jointly conducted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), South Africa, and the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), as part of the ‘Revitalization of Smallholder Irrigation in South Africa’ project. About one-third of those schemes was fully utilized; one-third partially utilized; and one-third not utilized in the winter of 2015; however, no single socioeconomic, physical, agronomic and marketing variable could explain these differences in utilization. Sale, mostly for informal markets, appeared the most important goal. Dilapidated infrastructure was the most important constraint cited by the farmers. The study recommends ways to overcome the build-neglect-rebuild syndrome, and to learn lessons from informal irrigation, which covers an area three to four times as large as public irrigation schemes in the province.

Suggested Citation

  • van Koppen, Barbara & Nhamo, Luxon & Cai, Xueliang & Gabriel, M. J. & Sekgala, M. & Shikwambana, S. & Tshikolomo, K. & Nevhutanda, S. & Matlala, B. & Manyama, D., 2017. "Smallholder irrigation schemes in the Limpopo Province, South Africa," IWMI Water Policy Briefings 257964, International Water Management Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:iwmwpb:257964
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.257964
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/257964/files/H048142.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.257964?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. repec:iwt:bosers:h040039 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Unknown, 2005. "African Water Laws: Plural Legislative Frameworks For Rural Water Management in Africa: an international workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa, 26-28 January 2005," IWMI Conference Proceedings 138989, International Water Management Institute.
    3. repec:iwt:rerpts:h045055 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Shah, Tushaar & van Koppen, Barbara & Merrey, Douglas J. & de Lange, Marna & Samad, Madar, 2002. "Institutional alternatives in African smallholder irrigation: Lessons from international experience with irrigation management transfer," IWMI Research Reports 44563, International Water Management Institute.
    5. repec:iwt:rerpts:h045022 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:iwt:bosers:h039669 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. repec:iwt:rerpts:h030202 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Shah, Tushaar, 2007. "The groundwater economy of South Asia: an assessment of size, significance and socio-ecological impacts," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Luxon Nhamo & Bekithemba Ndlela & Sylvester Mpandeli & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2020. "The Water-Energy-Food Nexus as an Adaptation Strategy for Achieving Sustainable Livelihoods at a Local Level," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    2. repec:iwt:jounls:h050853 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Ernest Malatsi & Gugulethu Zuma-Netshiukhwi & Sue Walker & Jan Willem Swanepoel, 2025. "An Evaluation of Smallholder Irrigation Typology Performance in Limpopo Province: South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-18, August.
    4. repec:iwt:rerpts:h048492 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Rudzani Vhuyelwani Angel Mudzielwana & Paramu Mafongoya & Maxwell Mudhara, 2022. "An Analysis of Livelihood-Diversification Strategies among Farmworker Households: A Case Study of the Tshiombo Irrigation Scheme, Vhembe District, South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Dickens, Chris & Mukuyu, Patience & Ndlovu, B. & O'Brien, G. & Stassen, R. & Magombeyi, Manuel, "undated". "E-flows for the Limpopo River Basin: from vision to management. Project report prepared by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)," IWMI Reports 337111, International Water Management Institute.
    7. Mwadzingeni, Liboster & Mugandani, Raymond & Mafongoya, Paramu, . "Factors affecting the performance of Tshiombo irrigation scheme in Limpopo province, South Africa," Journal of Agribusiness and Rural Development, University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland, vol. 57(3).
    8. Liboster Mwadzingeni & Raymond Mugandani & Paramu Mafongoya, 2020. "Localized Institutional Actors and Smallholder Irrigation Scheme Performance in Limpopo Province of South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-17, September.
    9. Luxon Nhamo & Sylvester Mpandeli & Stanley Liphadzi & Tinashe Lindel Dirwai & Hillary Mugiyo & Aidan Senzanje & Bruce A Lankford & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2024. "Why Do Farmers Not Irrigate All the Areas Equipped for Irrigation? Lessons from Southern Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-17, July.
    10. repec:iwt:jounls:h049088 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. van Koppen, Barbara & Tapela, B. N. & Mapedza, Everisto, "undated". "Joint ventures in the Flag Boshielo Irrigation Scheme, South Africa: a history of smallholders, states and business," IWMI Reports 273353, International Water Management Institute.
    12. repec:iwt:jounls:h048752 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Luxon Nhamo & Sylvester Mpandeli & Stanley Liphadzi & Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, 2022. "Securing Land and Water for Food Production through Sustainable Land Reform: A Nexus Planning Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-15, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nhamo, Luxon & Matchaya, Greenwell & Nhemachena, Charles & van Koppen, Barbara, 2016. "The impact of investment in smallholder irrigation schemes on irrigation expansion and crop productivity in Malawi," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 11(02), pages 1-13.
    2. Mohammad Alauddin & Upali A. Amarasinghe & Bharat R. Sharma, 2014. "Four decades of rice water productivity in Bangladesh: A spatio-temporal analysis of district level panel data," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 51-64.
    3. Molden, David & Sakthivadivel, Ramasamy & Samad, Madar & Burton, Martin, 2005. "Phases of river basin development: the need for adaptive institutions," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    4. Uma Lele, 2022. "Growing water scarcities: Responses of India and China," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(1), pages 411-433, March.
    5. Linda Steinhübel & Johannes Wegmann & Oliver Mußhoff, 2020. "Digging deep and running dry—the adoption of borewell technology in the face of climate change and urbanization," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(5), pages 685-706, September.
    6. M. A. Samad Azad & Tihomir Ancev, 2016. "Economics of Salinity Effects from Irrigated Cotton: An Efficiency Analysis," Water Economics and Policy (WEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 2(01), pages 1-24, March.
    7. Mukherji, Aditi & Verma, Shilp & Rath, Prabhat, 2002. "Canal irrigation management by tribal communities: case study of AKRSP(I) supported PIM societies [including IWMI-TATA Water Policy Programme] in South Gujarat," IWMI Books, International Water Management Institute, number 138191, January.
    8. World Bank, 2010. "Deep Wells and Prudence : Towards Pragmatic Action for Addressing Groundwater Overexploitation in India," World Bank Publications - Reports 2835, The World Bank Group.
    9. Giordano, Meredith A. & Samad, Madar & Namara, Regassa E., 2006. "Assessing the outcomes of IWMI’s research and interventions on irrigation management transfer," IWMI Research Reports 44524, International Water Management Institute.
    10. Scheumann, Waltina & Houdret, Annabelle & Brüntrup, Michael, 2017. "Mehr Bewässerungslandwirtschaft in Subsahara-Afrika: durch öffentlich-private Partnerschaften?," Analysen und Stellungnahmen 10/2017, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    11. World Bank, 2020. "Managing Groundwater for Drought Resilience in South Asia," World Bank Publications - Reports 33332, The World Bank Group.
    12. repec:iwt:bosers:h038746 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. repec:iwt:bosers:h033198 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Speelman, Stijn & D'Haese, Marijke & Buysse, Jeroen & D'Haese, Luc, 2008. "A measure for the efficiency of water use and its determinants, a case study of small-scale irrigation schemes in North-West Province, South Africa," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 98(1), pages 31-39, July.
    15. repec:iwt:conppr:h039627 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Uysal, Özlem Karahan & AtIs, Ela, 2010. "Assessing the performance of participatory irrigation management over time: A case study from Turkey," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(7), pages 1017-1025, July.
    17. Asad Qureshi & Peter McCornick & A. Sarwar & Bharat Sharma, 2010. "Challenges and Prospects of Sustainable Groundwater Management in the Indus Basin, Pakistan," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(8), pages 1551-1569, June.
    18. Upali A. Amarasinghe & Tushaar Shah & Peter G. McCornick, 2008. "Seeking calm water: Exploring policy options for India's water future," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 32(4), pages 305-315, November.
    19. Alauddin, Mohammad & Sharma, Bharat R., 2013. "Inter-district rice water productivity differences in Bangladesh: An empirical exploration and implications," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 210-218.
    20. Senanayake, Nari & Mukherji, Aditi & Giordano, Mark, 2015. "Re-visiting what we know about Irrigation Management Transfer: A review of the evidence," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 175-186.
    21. Glendenning, C.J. & van Ogtrop, F.F. & Mishra, A.K. & Vervoort, R.W., 2012. "Balancing watershed and local scale impacts of rain water harvesting in India—A review," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-13.
    22. Svendsen, Mark & Wester, Philippus & Molle, Francois, 2005. "Managing river basins: an institutional perspective," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    23. repec:iwt:bosers:h042034 is not listed on IDEAS
    24. van Koppen, Barbara & Tapela, B. N. & Mapedza, Everisto, "undated". "Joint ventures in the Flag Boshielo Irrigation Scheme, South Africa: a history of smallholders, states and business," IWMI Reports 273353, International Water Management Institute.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:iwmwpb:257964. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iwmiclk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.