Development agencies involved in farmer led-irrigation are not necessarily aware of the subtleties of the context, and reproduce biases. The bias of the practitioners understanding of gender dynamics, for example may not reflect the dynamics on the field. This bias has observable effects on the implementation of development projects, and can perpetuate biases rather than work around them. As an example, some older western literature proposes a clear-cut dichotomy of men's vs women's domains in work and life, which in reality are much more diffused and nuanced.
Women in farmer-led irrigation development: the case of Infulene Valley, Maputo – Mozambique
Natalia Reyes
(She/Her)
PhD Researcher
IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Feminist water scientist & urban farmer from Bolivia. Research Assistant at the Global Alliance for the Future of Food
Bolivian
It is essential for foreign academics and and development agencies to be aware of their biases in understanding to avoid imposing potentially harmful views and ideas
About
Problematising both how women have been studied in academia, and how women are seen by development agencies in irrigation projects
Neither academia or development were looking at women’s roles in irrigation in the right way. The literature review proposes a more fluid relationship between the household, and farming.
It is important to view relationship dynamics within the home, including divisions in control of land, water access, and products of the labour to understand irrigation practices more fully.
Key Findings
How to use
Policymakers, planners and development agencies must not try to plan out farmer-led irrigation systems under the view that they are unproductive, informal and unsanitary as so many people rely on urban agriculture for their livelihoods
These experts should also avoid dichotomising formal and informal work as this marginalises many livelihood activities and individuals
Development agencies should be very aware of how they are conceptualising gender dynamics, and to be sensitive and aware that they are not reproducing stereotypes or creating inequalities
Academics should try to criticise their assumptions with local viewpoints to better understand the context and avoid misconeptions and false expectations
Want to read the full paper? It is available open access
Reyes Tejada, N. (2018). ‘Women in farmer-led irrigation development: the case of Infulene Valley, Maputo – Mozambique’. Crítica Y Resistencias. Revista De Conflictos Sociales Latinoamericanos, (7), pp.31-43
About this research
This research was independently conducted and did not receive funding from outside of the university.
Recommended for
UN Sustainable Development Goals
This research contributes to the following SDGs
About this research
This research was independently conducted and did not receive funding from outside of the university.
Recommended for
What it means
It is essential for foreign academics and and development agencies to be aware of their biases in understanding to avoid imposing potentially harmful views and ideas. Theoretical research is especially vulnerable to this, as there is no-one talking back to you to highlight biases or created expectations.
Methodology
Literature review, and a reflection from work in the field. And so the literature review that was not field tested. In retrospect, the relationship between farming and the household was not as fluid as described in this paper.
Glossary
Farmer-led irrigation
Irrigation systems built, managed and used by farmers without intervention from public agencies. Considered informal/extra-legal by the city government
Feminist understanding
Not presuming or naturalising gender identities or structures, but remembering that gender is a social construct and that social relations cannot be explained by sexual differences, but by the meanings attributed to them
Machambas
Family-held agricultural holdings that comprise the majority of Mozambiques agriultural land/output
Let your research make a social impact
Ben Levett prepared this research following an interview with Natalia Reyes.
