Gender sensitive irrigation deisgn:
Guidance for policy makers and designers
Designs for smallholder irrigation do not usually take into account the preferences of the end-user resulting in laborious and time-consuming tasks. Designs have different impacts on men and women and users may conflict with gender-specific obligations. The report identifies gender-based constraints and opportunities in irrigation developments, investigates their origins and formulates strategies to reduce negative impacts and increase positive ones.
Background
Future development of smallholder irrigation in southern Africa will depend on improved returns to investment in irrigation. Subsidy is likely to decrease. It is therefore important that the users of irrigation have the capacity to make profits and to improve livelihoods by choosing the systems best suited to their situations. Women are key actors in irrigation in the region but their needs have not been considered closely in design, nor have they been included among participants in decision-making.

This output is presented in six parts:

The Guide (Part 1)
"Guidance for Smallholder Irrigation Development", addresses issues relating to participation, specific aspects of scheme design, training and considerations for future development. The Guide draws on five other reports, which provide useful reference material and case studies.

What it covers
It is organised into sections for ease of presentation and to allow users easy access to the material. Each section concludes with a summary table of recommendations aimed specifically at designers and employees of government departments and other organisations for use at the design stage of planning an irrigation scheme. Click here for full copy of Part 1

Part 2 "Group-based Irrigation Schemes in Zimbabwe", provides an account of the gender issues common to small-scale irrigation development, taking into consideration the different management scenarios found on the schemes studied.
Click here for full copy of Part 2

Part 3 "Gender Considerations Relating to Treadle Pump Adoption - Experiences from Zambia", provides an overview of the situation of individual families who invest in treadle pumps and the impact on workloads, productivity and incomes.
Click here for full copy of Part 3

  Part 4 "Gender Issues in Smallholder Irrigation Rehabilitation: Cases from South Africa", looks at the special problems that arise for men and women and Agencies that already have a vested interest in an existing but failing scheme and who are faced with the challenge of turning it around.
Click here for full copy of Part 4

Part 5 "An Assessment of the Implications of Pump Breakdown and Community Participation in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe", provides a rough costing of pump failure and draws attention to the gender impacts that were evident in the province.
Click here for full copy of Part 5

Part 6 "Consultation on Gender Issues in Smallholder Irrigation Schemes in Zimbabwe", provides insights into the views and concerns of men and women on irrigation schemes in Zimbabwe.
Click here for full copy of Part 6

Contributors
HR Wallingford Ltd, UK; Silsoe Research Institute, UK; AGRITEX, Zimbabwe; CARE, Zimbabwe; Ministry of Agriculture, Zambia; CARE, Zambia; Dept of Agriculture, Northern Province, South Africa; Agricultural Research Council, South Africa.

Intended users
The Guide and supporting reports are aimed at designers and policy makers, providing information that should influence scheme design and development.

Chancellor, F; Hasnip, N and O’Neill, D, 1999. Gender sensitive irrigation design: Guidance for smallholder irrigation development (Part 1). HR Wallingford, UK. Report no OD143.


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