The responsibility transfer of irrigation management from the state to farmers emerged as a mutually beneficial strategy to enhance food production while reducing pressure on central budgets. Yet the impacts of participatory approaches are not sufficiently investigated to understand the real-term gains of farmers. A systematic review combined with meta-analysis is undertaken to array what has been learned on the success of management transfer at the ground level. Based on the findings collated from 42 case studies in developing countries, the impact indicators of management transfer show an overall positive contribution to productivity, system efficiency, profitability, and cost of service, as direct proxies of farmers’ benefits. However, such impacts require the analysis of the research shortcomings. The existing literature fails to rebalance the geographical concentration of research interest, position management transfer in pro-poor contexts, explore the critical influence of water availability and craft a robust methodology for assessments. The paper revealed three key features of the assessments affecting the reported impacts. The assessments conducted long after the management transfer and the more recent assessments have a positive and significant relationship with the measured impacts. Conversely, the rigour of applied methodology has a negative and significant relationship with the impacts. The paper suggests research pathways to better understand the farmers-related impacts of management transfer, including the involvement of subsistence farms, application of pro-poor indicators, investigation of the implications of water scarcity, and the development of a framework for more rigorous assessments.
Keywords: Irrigation, Systematic review, Profit, Small-scale scheme, Research methodology
Uhamisho wa jukumu la usimamizi wa umwagiliaji kutoka kwa serikali kwa wakulima ulionekana kama mkakati wa manufaa ya pande zote ili kuongeza uzalishaji wa chakula wakati wa kupunguza shinikizo kwenye bajeti za kati. Hata hivyo athari za mbinu za ushiriki hazijatafakariwa vya kutosha kuelewa faida za muda halisi za wakulima. Mapitio ya utaratibu pamoja na meta-uchambuzi ni kufanywa kwa safu nini imekuwa kujifunza juu ya mafanikio ya uhamisho wa usimamizi katika ngazi ya ardhi. Kulingana na matokeo yaliyokusanywa kutoka kwa masomo ya kesi 42 katika nchi zinazoendelea, viashiria vya athari za uhamisho wa usimamizi vinaonyesha mchango mzuri kwa uzalishaji, ufanisi wa mfumo, faida, na gharama ya huduma, kama wakala wa moja kwa moja wa faida za wakulima. Hata hivyo, athari hizo zinahitaji uchambuzi wa mapungufu ya utafiti. Maandishi ya sasa hayana uwezo wa kusawazisha mkusanyiko wa kijiografia wa maslahi ya utafiti, uhamisho wa usimamizi wa nafasi katika muktadha wa maskini, kuchunguza ushawishi muhimu wa upatikanaji wa maji na kutengeneza mbinu thabiti ya tathmini. Karatasi ilifunua sifa tatu kuu za tathmini zinazoathiri athari zilizoripotiwa. Tathmini zilizofanywa muda mrefu baada ya uhamisho wa usimamizi na tathmini za hivi karibuni zina uhusiano mzuri na muhimu na athari zilizopimwa. Kinyume chake, ukali wa mbinu kutumika ina uhusiano hasi na muhimu na athari. Karatasi hiyo inashauri njia za utafiti ili kuelewa vizuri athari zinazohusiana na wakulima za uhamisho wa usimamizi, ikiwa ni pamoja na ushiriki wa mashamba ya kujitegemea, matumizi ya viashiria vya maskini, uchunguzi wa athari za upungufu wa maji, na maendeleo ya mfumo wa tathmini kali zaidi. Maneno muhimu: Umwagiliaji, Mapitio ya Mfumo, Faida, Mpango wa Kiwango Kidogo, Mbinu ya Utafiti