21 Proposed Research, Science, Technology and Innovation …
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issues of democracy, politics, and governance (Rukuni 1997) as well as other crosscutting issues like enabling socioeconomic environments that ensure adequate risk
management and market linkages. Also, relevant research must focus on mobilization
of new capital, funding models, specialization and commercialization of diversified
production systems, and entrepreneurial training and extension.
Some studies have shown that smallholder farm investment is financially viable,
but performance is better where rainfed systems are integrated with irrigation, and
the irrigation system is owned and operated by farmers. More successful still is
where farmers either develop their own individual water source and/or manage their
irrigation independent of other farmers (Rukuni 1997). These findings suggest that
smallholder farms need more flexible machinery and equipment design to optimally
service 1–3 ha smallholder farming systems. Technology must enable the farmer to
diversify into high-value crops and to integrate full scale, supplementary irrigation
and dryland farming systems.
Security of land rights is also important, and hence smallholder farming communities must adopt governance systems that assure rights to land resources (NamubiruMwaura 2014). Long-term tenure will encourage direct investment in new technology and increase agricultural productivity, as well as increase the capacity for fair
compensation and ensure that restoration rights and benefits are shared by affected
communities. Most African governments, after political independence from colonial
masters, have inadvertently maintained the colonial legacy of undermining indigenous tenure systems (Rukuni 1997), which has discouraged investment and productivity in rural areas. Most African governments have been slow to reform these
systems and rights relating to natural resources, particularly water. Reforms that
strengthen tenure security and allow greater control by African communal farmers
over the land and water that they use will likely yield greater investment and more
efficient utilization of land, water, and irrigation systems.
Research to strengthen community-based legal and institutional mechanisms for
tenure and property rights is required to demonstrate the interests of African governments in decentralizing and strengthening traditional institutions. Such interests
include conflict resolution and the coordination of the government and farmers in
the planning and governance of land and water resources. Best practices such as
Zimbabwe’s Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources
(CAMPFIRE) could be adopted elsewhere to enable local communities to manage
and utilize their natural resources to their exclusive economic benefit. The approach
is proven for the management of wildlife held on communal land, but its broader
effects, such as its robustness on sustainable natural resources management under
a changing climate, socio-political, and other cross-cutting challenges linked to
Zimbabwe’s turbulent macroeconomics, must be studied, in order to fully understand if the CAMPFIRE concept is adaptable to macroeconomic challenges, is
applicable to management of water resources, and can be copied and applied in
other countries. What is the best mechanism for governments to decentralize and
strengthen traditional institutions (including the ability to resolve major conflicts) for
conserving natural resources? Research is required to determine appropriate targeted
503
issues of democracy, politics, and governance (Rukuni 1997) as well as other crosscutting issues like enabling socioeconomic environments that ensure adequate risk
management and market linkages. Also, relevant research must focus on mobilization
of new capital, funding models, specialization and commercialization of diversified
production systems, and entrepreneurial training and extension.
Some studies have shown that smallholder farm investment is financially viable,
but performance is better where rainfed systems are integrated with irrigation, and
the irrigation system is owned and operated by farmers. More successful still is
where farmers either develop their own individual water source and/or manage their
irrigation independent of other farmers (Rukuni 1997). These findings suggest that
smallholder farms need more flexible machinery and equipment design to optimally
service 1–3 ha smallholder farming systems. Technology must enable the farmer to
diversify into high-value crops and to integrate full scale, supplementary irrigation
and dryland farming systems.
Security of land rights is also important, and hence smallholder farming communities must adopt governance systems that assure rights to land resources (NamubiruMwaura 2014). Long-term tenure will encourage direct investment in new technology and increase agricultural productivity, as well as increase the capacity for fair
compensation and ensure that restoration rights and benefits are shared by affected
communities. Most African governments, after political independence from colonial
masters, have inadvertently maintained the colonial legacy of undermining indigenous tenure systems (Rukuni 1997), which has discouraged investment and productivity in rural areas. Most African governments have been slow to reform these
systems and rights relating to natural resources, particularly water. Reforms that
strengthen tenure security and allow greater control by African communal farmers
over the land and water that they use will likely yield greater investment and more
efficient utilization of land, water, and irrigation systems.
Research to strengthen community-based legal and institutional mechanisms for
tenure and property rights is required to demonstrate the interests of African governments in decentralizing and strengthening traditional institutions. Such interests
include conflict resolution and the coordination of the government and farmers in
the planning and governance of land and water resources. Best practices such as
Zimbabwe’s Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources
(CAMPFIRE) could be adopted elsewhere to enable local communities to manage
and utilize their natural resources to their exclusive economic benefit. The approach
is proven for the management of wildlife held on communal land, but its broader
effects, such as its robustness on sustainable natural resources management under
a changing climate, socio-political, and other cross-cutting challenges linked to
Zimbabwe’s turbulent macroeconomics, must be studied, in order to fully understand if the CAMPFIRE concept is adaptable to macroeconomic challenges, is
applicable to management of water resources, and can be copied and applied in
other countries. What is the best mechanism for governments to decentralize and
strengthen traditional institutions (including the ability to resolve major conflicts) for
conserving natural resources? Research is required to determine appropriate targeted