Small holder farming in Africa — Lessons from the African regional symposium on small holder irrigation

Abstract

The five main topics discussed at the African Regional Symposium on Small Holder Irrigation are reviewed in this paper. Particular attention is directed to those points raised during the meeting that are relevant to small holder agricultural development in general, and that may serve as a guide to rural development researchers, planners and implementers in South Africa and its independent and self‐governing national states.

The central theme of the various papers dealing with the design and selection of appropriate small holder schemes, country specific case studies, project evaluation and the role of farmers, was undoubtedly the need to involve farmers in a meaningful way throughout the entire process of project formulation and implementation.

Notes

Co‐ordinator of Rural Development, Institute of Natural Resources, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.