Assessing the Influence of Farmers’ Learning on Water Productivity and Profitability in Smallholder Irrigation Schemes in Malawi

With climate change and weather variability, there is presently a growing concern for food security and poverty reduction in many developing countries. The purpose of this work was to assess water productivity and profitability through farmer learning in selected smallholder irrigation schemes (SIS) in Malawi. The key question that directed this study was, “What difficulties and challenges hinder the transfer of modern irrigated farming technologies from the perspective of smallholder farmers in Malawi?” Agriculture being the engine of the economy, where the agricultural sector is dominated by smallholder farming systems large proportion of farmers face several restraints including water shortage and soil infertility thwarting viable crop production and food security. The present study assessed the productivity and profitability of smallholder irrigated systems in the three selected SIS one in Dedza district and two in Chikwawa district and learned their determinants. These schemes selected because they were among the first to receive the devices and there are marked areas of drying specifically in the Lake Malawi region. And the lower Shire where the schemes are located. Both primary and secondary data were assembled and used in this research study. The primary data and information were collected through purposive and randomly selected 51 user-friendly device users and 66 non-user households from May to June 2021. Secondary data and information were amassed from a review of different works of literature both within and abroad. Descriptive statistics and econometric models were used to examine the data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 20. The findings revealed that farmer learning using soil water monitoring devices increased crop productivity and is profitable. Water use efficiency helps suitable water resources management. Water application experience, time, and attendance spent in scheme meetings were pertinent and had a bearing on the productivity and profitability of the irrigated farming system. Based on the findings, farmer learning is identified as decisive for food security improvement and poverty reduction. It can, therefore, be concluded that farmer learning has an encouraging and considerable influence on household food security and poverty reduction.