Water scarcity and the colonial state

Abstract

This chapter responds to the challenges posed by earlier scholars and examines, through an empirically grounded case-study of the 1964-5 drought scourge that afflicted south-western Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia, how 'water scarcity' came to be established as a dominant idea in this specific locale and at this particular time. First, it analyzes how water was institutionalized in south-western Matabeleland following the catastrophic drought during the colonial era. Then the chapter unravels the relationships between different local water users and how they comprehended water scarcity and cooperated in such critical times of adverse resource scarcity. The nexus between water scarcity as a hegemonic concept and the consolidation of the hegemonic 'hydraulic mission' concept and related practices is amply underscored by the case-study. Finally, the chapter underscores the notion that 'change is greatly facilitated by crisis' as the water users' appeals emanating from dramatic climate event helped to delegitimize the state's arguments for maintaining the status quo.