Attaining Sustainable Smallholder Irrigation-farming and Rural-livelihoods through Social-capital: Post FastLand-Reform (FTLR) Perspectives from Rozva Irrigation Scheme, Bikita, Zimbabwe

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.