THE UNITED REPIBLIC OF TANZANIA MINISTRY OF WATER AND IRRIGATION NATIONAL IRRIGATION COMMISSION GENDER MAINSTREAMING IN IRRIGATION INTERVENTIONS Presented by: Bahati Rukiko/Esther Kapakala Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at Protea courtyard Hotel,Dar es salaam.

Presentation outline Introduction Integrating Gender issues in Irrigated Agriculture Conclusion

Introduction Irrigated agriculture has become a global concern in many developing countries including Tanzania. Its importance is based on the current influence of climatic change that has resulted to the increase of droughts and changes in rainfall patterns.

Introduction cont At the global level, water resources are thinning at a shocking rate. This situation has again resulted into a high demand of water for irrigation. The use of irrigation for crop production is therefore one of the effective means of mitigating the climate change effect and thus, increase and stabilize food and cash crop productivity.

Introduction cont.. According to the National Irrigation Master Plan (2002) Tanzania has a potential area of 29.4 million hectares whereby 2.3 million hectares is of high potential, 4.8 million hectares is of medium potential and 22.3 million hectares is of low potential. However, the pace of irrigation and drainage infrastructure development in Tanzania has been so low that only 461,326 hectares has been developed as of April, 2016 which is only 1.6% of the total potential and contributes 24% of the national food requirements.

Introduction cont.. The irrigation sector in Tanzania is characterized with smallholder farmers as majority producing mainly staple food for household consumption and with relatively marginal connections to markets. Similarly few commercial farmers and entrepreneurs are emerging and increasing in number. For all these groups of farmers, both men and women participating in irrigated agriculture face different constraints that need to be assessed and addressed with care for mutual benefits.

Integrating Gender issues in Irrigated Agriculture Gender issues are taken into consideration in all irrigation project cycle from identification, planning and design, implementation and management of irrigation schemes. This has been possible through authentic participation of stakeholders. For an irrigation project to have a positive and sustainable impact, stakeholders must be committed to the project because their priorities converge with those of the proposed irrigation scheme. Stakeholders participate in all project cycle as follows:-

Project Identification This stage involves potential project suggestions from local communities, leaders and National Development Strategies. It involves stakeholders, particularly, primary stakeholders.

Project Planning In planning irrigation projects usually starts with feasibility studies which provide data and analysis required for deciding wether the irrigation project is worth and feasible for investing and the rationale of proceeding with implementing the project. The possible solutions, and criteria for choosing among alternatives are also delt within this stage..

Project Planning When planning to implement an irrigation project, resources available to each stakeholder group are normally assessed, as well as constraints that they face. Gender analysis are undertaken in order to analyze various gender indicators and identify gender gaps that may require interventions before or during project implementation.

Project Planning Cont.. Gender analysis is done using land ownership and tenure matrix, Resources ownership and control, gender roles in irrigated agriculture and daily activity schedule. Table 1 is an example of gender roles in irrigated agriculture for the proposed Sonjo irrigation project.

Table 1: Gender roles in irrigated agriculture activities for paddy (Source: Sonjo feasibility study report)

Project Planning In planning stage, gender based constraints and causes are investigated so that plans and designs are prepared to address them accordingly. Issues which are found and need to be addressed are taken into further stages like design and implementation phase.

Project design Designing irrigation projects follows the recommendation and alternatives from feasibility studies. For instance, during a feasibility study it can be found that women has no domestic water, designers may find a way to include domestic water outlet during the project design.

Project implementation In project implementation as stipulated in the Comprehensive guidelines (CGL, 2010), that the farmers are obliged to establish construction committee. The Committee consist of ten (10) members and at least one third must be women. This assists women to participate in decision making to supervise construction.

Management of irrigation schemes Management of smallholder irrigation schemes is done through irrigators’ organizations approach. Irrigators’ organization (IO) is established to take all interests of farmers in particular irrigation scheme, IO is responsible for management of irrigation schemes including operation and maintenance (O & M). In leadership positions of irrigators’ organizations normally women are encouraged to participate.

Fig.1:Farmers participating in cleaning irrigation canal

Participation of women in Irrigated Agriculture Training The National Irrigation Commission for consecutive three years has been providing training on System of Rice Intensification (SRI) through various project including the PHRD, project. Through this project it has been found that women are effectively participating in irrigation training accounting to a third of total participants.

Fig.2: SRI trainee by gender

Conclusion Genrally, women participation in irrigated agriculture is still low when compared to men. This is evidenced by the report of the baseline survey for 78 BRN Irrigation schemes which was conducted in May, 2014 which depicted the women with irrigated land ranged from 43% in Kilombero DC to 1% in Mpanda DC.

Conclusion Cont.. There are still gender related challenges in irrigated agriculture that include: Women low level in social status in the community, illiteracy and low entrepreneurship skills; Inadequate access to productive resources including water, Irrigated land, facilities equipment and services; and low level of participation in decision making.

CONCLUSION In order to revamp the situation, the Commission in collaboration with other stakeholders will continue to create awareness on fair representation of both men and women in irrigators organizations; Provide capacity building to farmers on gender mainstreaming in all stages of irrigation development, Establish specific programmes for fair empowerment for both men and women, to access land, irrigation water, technology, credit and markets.

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