Abstract
The objective of the study was to identify the extent of benefits and their determinants to communities surrounding the Qamata Irrigation Scheme (QIS) in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The study used a quantitative based cross-sectional survey of 197 households within a radius of 20 km from the QIS. Multiple sampling methods were utilized where the villages were randomly and the households conveniently selected. A semi-structured pre-coded questionnaire was utilized to collect the data which was analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logit regression. The study identified 14 discriminant benefits ranging from job opportunities, income increment food diversification to share cropping. Sixty-two percent of the households identified less than 5 benefits, whilst 27% and 11% identified 6-10 and 11-14 benefits respectively. Determinants of a surrounding household to attain benefits were significantly influenced by the distance from the scheme, the main source of income and gender of household head (P<0.01); marital and employment status (P<0.05); and access to farm land (P<0.1). The study concludes that the level of benefit diffused to surrounding households is based on socio-economic factors. The study recommends conscientization of surrounding communities on the peripheral benefits accrued from the proximity to the QIS, achievable through awareness initiatives.
Highlights
Irrigation agriculture is the panacea to increase food supply, with multiplier increases in incomes, employment, and food security for the rural poor (Chazovachii, 2012; Dowgert, 2010; Dube, 2012; Hussain, 2004; Oni, Maliwichi, & Obadire, 2011; You, et al, 2010)
Empirical Results: Figure 6 shows that 53% of the respondents within a radius of 10km from the Qamata Irrigation Scheme (QIS) identified less than 5 benefits, whilst 33% identified 6 to benefits, with 14% having between and 14
The R2 value shows that the variables utilised explain 36% of the variance in the benefits accrued to proximity to the QIS
Summary
Irrigation agriculture is the panacea to increase food supply, with multiplier increases in incomes, employment, and food security for the rural poor (Chazovachii, 2012; Dowgert, 2010; Dube, 2012; Hussain, 2004; Oni, Maliwichi, & Obadire, 2011; You, et al, 2010). Several authors have identified two main poles of smallholder irrigation in SSA: small private irrigation and conventional irrigation schemes (de Fraiture & Giordano, 2014; Marcella & Eltahir, 2013; Xie, Wielgosz, & Ringler, 2014). These have resulted from an array of factors chief among them dysfunctional institutions, poor access to markets and limited farmer skills (Pittock, Bjournlund, Stirzaker, & Rooyen, 2017; Stirzaker, Mbakwe, & Mziray, 2017).
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