Abstract:
This article examines social-capital’s contribution towards improving
smallholder irrigation-farming, which is one of the primary means of
subsistence in rural areas due to climate change under the Zimbabwe National
Development Strategy (NDS) 1 policy’s human capital development cluster.
This descriptive case-study used semi-structured questionnaires, focus groups, key informant interview data from 100 irrigation farmers. It concludes that
social-capital is essential for sustainability through trust and solidarity, social
norms and connections, communication and information sharing, collective
action, rules and regulations, effective sanctions, and partnerships with
institutions. It underscored that social-capital increases effective water
management, informal financial insurance, social cohesion, farm profitability,
effective governance and rehabilitation, and irrigation infrastructure. The results
of this study are useful to communal and irrigation farmers, traditional and
government leadership. The article recommends deliberate configuration of
social-capital for smallholder irrigation programs to contribute significantly to
food security and sustainable livelihoods.
