Smallholder Irrigation, Water Security and Rural Household Welfare

The potential of smallholder irrigated agriculture to enhance food security and alleviate rural poverty has led the South African government to prioritise and invest significantly in irrigation establishment, rehabilitation and revitalisation. The question addressed in this book pertains to the extent to which smallholder irrigation has been able to reduce poverty in the rural communities to justify this investment. This book also further investigates the determinants of water security in an irrigation scheme, and how this water security level subsequently affects the farmer's household food security level.It concludes that access to irrigation plays a positive role in the welfare of rural households. For better impact on household welfare, the study recommends that priority should be placed in ensuring household water security, not just investing in the physical irrigation scheme and irrigation participation.