CPWF SG 503 FTR 2007
ENHANCE ADOPTION OF HIGH POTENTIAL INTERVENTIONS FORINCREASING AGRICULTURAL WATER PRODUCTIVITY
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ANNEX A
SSUU A A A A LLEER R T TIIFFPPR R II
JULY, 2007
CPWF SG 503 FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT
ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Soil Water Management Research Group (SWMRG) of the Sokoine University of Agriculture(SUA) in collaboration with the Association for Land-use, Environmental care, Research and Technology transfer (ALERT) and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) of Washington DC, implemented the research project number
CPWF SG 503
on
Conditions for Sustainable Adoption of Water and Moisture System Innovations in Nile River Basin: Case of Makanya Watershed in Tanzania
under a CPWF Small Grant Program on Enhance Adoption of High Potential Interventions forIncreasing Agricultural Water Productivity The purpose of the research project was to improve adoption of agricultural water and moisture systeminnovations (WMSIs) among smallholder farmers for enhanced livelihood in semi-arid areas. Thedevelopment challenge abreast of this project is on how the rate and intensity of adoption of robustendogenous and novel WMSIs can be enhanced. The objectives of the research project were: (i) toestablish an inventory of smallholder water and moisture system innovations practiced in the study areaand their potential to improve household livelihoods; (ii) to identify biophysical and socio-economicdeterminants of adoption of the WMSIs in the study area; (iii) to identify perceptions of the farmersand local communities on the WMSIs; (iv) to promote strategies and approaches that facilitate scaling up of WMSIs and (v) to produce and share policy recommendations for the adoption of water andmoisture system innovations to enhance uptake by key stakeholders. This study was conducted in Makanya Catchment in Tanzania, covering five villages namely Chajo,Mhero, Malindi, Mgwasi and Makanya. Both participatory approaches and questionnaire interviews were conducted to collect data and relevant information. A series of consultation meeting and workshops with stakeholders were conducted to share knowledge and information generated as part of the implementation of communication plan. The results showed that the current extent of use of water and moisture innovation systems (WMSIs),in the study area, is as follows:
WMSIs practiced in the study area
Most of the WMSIs practiced in the catchment can be categorised into storage and in-situ watercapture type. Storage structures include charco dams (
malambo
), small ponds (
ndiva
), wells and tanks(surface or subsurface). These are important WMSIs for domestic use, crop and livestock production. This is mainly because the rains are erratic and sometime last for a short period. In-situ WMSIs,commonly known as soil-water conservation innovations, comprise a group of techniques forpreventing runoff and promoting infiltration. A number of cultural practices such as trees-on-farm,cover crops, mulching, ridging and addition of manure, fall under this category. Others include stoneand earth terraces, fanya juu/chini and contour ridges/bunds, borders/basins, deep tillage, trash lines,and ripping; run off diversion, valley bottom farming and large planting pits. A number of these WMSIs practiced in the Makanya catchment are traditional while the others are introduced. Intensity and extent of adoption differ between the lowlands, midlands and uplands.
Potential of WMSIs to improve farmers livelihoods
The study revealed that WMSIs that involve supplementary irrigation had higher returns to land andlabour therefore have potential for improving household livelihood based on crop enterprises involved.For example, run-off diversion for spate irrigation had higher returns to land (TAS 222,266/ha
US$176) and labour (TAS 202/person/day
US$ 0.16/person/day) compared to over WMSIs in thelowland under Lablab enterprise. In the midlands diversion of stream flows had returns to land (TAS451,655/ha
US$ 358) under Lablab enterprise. In the uplands ndiva had higher returns to land (TAS2,908.125/ha
US$ 2308) and labour (TAS 6,613/person/day
US$ 5.2). On the other hand, tree-
CPWF SG 503 FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT
iiion-farm had high returns to land (TAS 1,301,425/ha
US$ 1033) and labour (TAS 21,154/person/day
US$ 16.8) in upland in coffee enterprise.
Biophysical and socio-economic determinants of adoption of the WMSIs
The results showed that determinants that positively and/or negatively influence adoption of innovations are mainly biophysical and socio-economic. The biophysical determinants includetopography (control erosion), yield increase/productivity, reduce inconvenience in irrigation schedule,irrigation task is simplified by controlling water, conserve soil, fertility and moisture, good crop growth,shortage of enough water to conserve, land shortage, increased production, rainfall shortage, protect water loss and poor working tools. The socio economic determinants include bye-laws for group theuse the same ndiva, cash crops, low education level, low income level, inadequate labour force, landtenure, cost involved, poor technology, unwillingness to take up the technology, having otheralternative activities, lack of expertise/technology, lack of collective action (kiwili), high cost toimplement, lack of information about technology, traditions and norms of using draught animals andlaziness, ignorance, jealousy, complacency. Between 62.5 and 70% of mentioned determinants thatpositively influence farmers to adopt WMSIs are of biophysical in nature. It was also found thatbetween 69.2 to 79% of all the factors negatively affect farmers to adopt WMSIs are socio-economic innature.Determinants of technology adoption at household level include household capital endowments(capital assets - human, natural, physical, financial and social), land tenure and access to market andservices have influenced adoption of WMSIs in Makanya Catchment. Results show that there arepositive relationships between adoption of WMSIs with human capital (education level, training of farmers, household labour and age of farmers); natural capital (farm size); physical (ownership of livestock and house type); financial capital (liquid asset - bank account) and social capital (farmerassociation sand networks). Other factors include access to market and policy environment. It is worthnoting that results showed negative relationship on adoption of most WMSIs for women except forcover crops. This is due to the fact that most women are dealing with leguminous crop which arecommonly use as cover crops, in their effort to provide food for their households.
Perceptions of the farmers and local communities on the WMSIs
Results showed that the need for conserving soil and water, improving food security, increasing productivity, low rainfall and increasing income were perceived as most important reasons for adopting most WMSIs at farm level. On the other hand farmers perceived that inadequateknowledge/education/skills and low income are the most important reasons for them not adopting some innovations they perceive to be good for their farm households. There are significant correlationsamong reasons for adopting the innovations. During focus group discussions women groups perceivedadvantages of adopting some WMSIs differently from groups of men farmers. For example, womenfarmers perceived that charco-dams and water tanks improved availability of water near homesteads which reduced their work load of walking long distances in search of water, therefore providing ampletime to do other households chores. On the other hand men emphasised that charco dams increased water availability for livestock, thus protecting livestock from dying while moving them to the River insearch of water.
Strategies and approaches that facilitate scaling up of WMSIs
The project assessed current strategies and approaches for scaling up of WMSIs. Results show thatscaling-up of potential WMSIs entailed communication, interaction and interrelation amongst key stakeholders through social and institutional networks. Sharing of knowledge and information is donemostly within the family members and farming communities within in the villages and between villageto village. A few farmers learned about WMSIs in schools and colleges while other throughinterventions by the government and change or development agents like NGOs and developmentprojects. The farmers response shows that interactive methods like on-farm trials, field/exchange
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