Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
implementation of the requirements by providing training, extension services,
supervision, seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, post processing and guaranteed
market. The smallholders on their part grow the exact amount of crop as
recommended, follow through with recommended agronomic practices, and
sell the produce solely to the contracted farm (Mati and De Vries, 2005).
The technology used by outgrowers may not be as sophisticated as that of
the large-scale commercial farmers. They mostly depend on mechanised and
mechanical water abstracting systems for irrigation. This type of irrigation
exists in locations with large-scale commercial irrigation schemes such as
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and the likes. A typical example
of such arrangements is Mukuria-Kyambogo Irrigation Scheme in Kenya
(Mati and Penning de Vries, 2005).
Community/Farmer Groups
There are also many instances across sub-Saharan Africa where irrigation
systems are initiated by communities. These happen as a result of sharing a
common source such as water or of a combined effort to develop a water
resource and/or also water transport systems such as reservoirs, canals,
furrows and wells. When such investments are made, the investment becomes
a communal property which is managed by the community. Rules are set
which members have to comply with. The individual farm plots may be
owned either by individuals or by the community. In most of these communal
efforts the farmers are compelled to join the water user association or
farmer-based organisation which resolves all issues surrounding the use of the
facility (Mul et al., 2010). They are also able to access credit for their
members by virtue of their co-operation. The group leaders may also help
members find market for their products. New membership applications have
to be passed through the leaders of the group and agreed by the members.
Members are expected to pay a fee on a regular basis for the maintenance of
the facilities, expansion and management. These fees are decided by the
members and failure to pay may lead to loss of membership.
Individual Small-holder Farmers
Several small-scale irrigation systems across sub-Saharan Africa have been
initiated by local individuals without any form of government support or
interventions. The small-holder farmers are self made entrepreneurs who
develop irrigation systems using affordable irrigation technologies. They
abstract water by means of technologies such as treadle pumps, bucket and
rope, motorized pumps, mechanised pumps and by gravity. Their sources of
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