Socioeconomic impacts of small-scale irrigation schemes on women in Swaziland

The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of small-scale irrigation schemes on food security and incomes for both women and men. A comparative study approach was used. Heads of households were interviewed using a questionnaire to determine crop production and income generated from two irrigation schemes. The production of crops and income earned were compared between households headed by men and those headed by women, before and after the development of irrigation scheme, and between a scheme which also made water available for crop production at homestead, and a scheme where water was only available for community level production. The results showed that irrigation schemes affected production of men and women differently. The production of maize, the main staple food crop, declined after the establishment of irrigation scheme due to household moving towards sugarcane production. Irrigation schemes affected negatively household incomes, especially those headed by women due to the cessation of cotton production. The establishment or irrigation schemes increased food insecurity.