Garden Irrigation Using Collector Wells: Experiences from a First Scheme in Southeast Zimbabwe.

Abstract

The research described in this report has the potential to improve sustainability of agriculture by reducing farmer reliance on extensive farming systems. The overall aim of the project is to promote the use of small irrigated community gardens to complement rainfed cropping. In years of good rainfall, these gardens can augment rainfed crop production, reduce the need to crop marginal land and improve nutrition by providing a continuous supply of vegetables during the dry season. In years of drought, such as that now occuring in Southern Africa, there is no rain-fed cropping. Irrigated gardens can provide rural communities with a vital "safety net", providing the only means of food production.