The quiet innovators: small scale irrigation on Swazi Nation Land

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Book chapter

Title:	The quiet innovators: small scale irrigation on Swazi Nation Land
Author:	Funnell, D.C.
Book title:	Scenes of change: visions on developments in Swaziland: papers presented at the seminar 'Social Sciences in Swaziland', Free University Amsterdam, February 1986 / Henk J. Tieleman, ed.
Year:	1988
Pages:	121-136
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Swaziland - Eswatini
Subjects:	small farms irrigation
Abstract:	This paper draws attention to the extent of small-scale irrigation in Swaziland, focusing on those homesteads that are currently on the Swazi Nation Land (SNL), with a communal form of land tenure, but are not part of formal schemes. At least 1500-2000 homesteads on the SNL utilize furrows or sprinklers, and many more apply water using simple 'bucket' techniques. Although the irrigated plots may be used seasonally and perhaps not every year, these irrigators have introduced innovations into their cropping activities in response to recent high prices for vegetables. Yet, like irrigation developments in other parts of Africa, the State has chosen to concentrate its efforts not on assisting these individual innovators but on creating new smallholder irrigation schemes, claiming that irrigation activities are virtually nonexistent on the SNL. The paper argues for the incorporation of individual irrigators into future irrigation schemes. Bibliogr., note, ref.