Variables Predicting Farmer Participation in the Management of Smallholder Irrigation Schemes; Implication for Project Planning and Design in Kenya

In smallholder irrigation schemes in Kenya, cost recovery that is also used as measure sustainability is low and extent to which farmers’ income, access to irrigation water and individualism predict farmer participation in the management of irrigation water and cost recovery is not known yet this knowledge may be useful to project designers in helping to increase area of land put under irrigation. This paper used desktop study methodology of peer reviewed empirical literature to analyze how these variables may predict farmer participation in irrigation water management and cost recovery. Literature reviewed suggested that these variables may predict farmer participation and cost recovery which in turn determines payback period and therefore has implications on project planning and design. Based on these findings this paper concluded that extent to which farmers’ income, access to irrigation water and individualism predict farmer participation and cost recovery was a knowledge gap that needed to be investigated. This paper suggested that an empirical study may adopt descriptive cross sectional survey research design and correlation research design to establish the extent to which these variables may predict farmer participation and cost recovery and concluded that such study may add knowledge to project designers and help reduce payback period through increased cost recovery, enhanced sustainability of smallholder irrigation schemes and by extension help attain Kenya's national irrigation target of 300, 000ha from a baseline of 160, 840ha by 2030.