Entrepreneurs, investors and the state: the public and the private in sub-Saharan African irrigation development

Abstract

This article draws on ethnographic research in Tanzania to interrogate the discourse of 'public' and 'private' in sub-Saharan irrigation development. It contrasts the complexity of social and political relations with narratives suggesting that 'private' is necessarily opposed and superior to 'public' . We argue that support for models of private-sector development obscures access to and control over resources and can result in the dispossession of those least able to resist this. Different interests of 'entrepreneurial' individuals and corporate investors and the ways in which these relate to the state are also glossed over. Conversely, the failure of the 'public' cannot simply be read from the chequered histories of irrigation schemes within which public and private interests intersect in complex ways.

Neither sustainable nor inclusive: a political economy of agricultural policy and livelihoods in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia

“…This was substantially informed by the previous work of the authors. Anna Mdee has conducted extensive field research on agricultural livelihoods and natural resources governance in multiple locations in Tanzania since 1996 (Toner 2003;Cleaver and Toner 2006;Mdee 2017a, 2017b;Mdee 2017;Harrison and Mdee 2018;Mdee and Harrison 2019;Brockington et al 2019); Michael Chasukwa has researched and published on the political economy of agriculture and on local government capacity in Malawi since 2005 (Chinsinga and Chasukwa 2012Chinsinga, Chasukwa, and Zuka 2013), and Simon Manda has researched and published extensively on agriculture in Zambia, including a recent three year investigation of large scale land acquisition (Manda, Dougill, and Tallontire 2018a. We also reviewed the AFRINT survey data for each of the countries and worked in close co-operation with senior researchers from AFRINT country teams.…”

“…The aim of dominant political regimes of both colonial and post-colonial eras favours full-scale agricultural transformation, meaning the shift of labour from agriculture, and a concentration of land-holdings, through intensification and commercial investment; but this goal has remained elusive across the case study countries. Whereas the share of agriculture in GDP may be declining to variable degrees, small-scale agriculture remains highly significant in the livelihoods of most of the population (Manjengwa, Hanlon, and Smart 2014;Harrison and Mdee 2018). All three countries are experiencing large-scale land acquisition and increasing differentiation of rural wealth (Andersson Djurfeldt and Hillbom 2016;Chinsinga 2017;Chung 2017;Bluwstein et al 2018).…”

Water Users Associations in Tanzania: Local Governance for Whom?

“…However, authors have raised concerns over this point, as customary water users are at risk of expropriation from land and water if they do not formalise their access to water [24]. This task is a difficult one, as much land is subject to negotiation (public, state-owned, or customary), and as a result, the formalisation of rights has impeded access for customary users [13]. Water scarcity is therefore political, and competing uses must be resolved, considering that some users may not be able to articulate their needs [13].…”

“…This task is a difficult one, as much land is subject to negotiation (public, state-owned, or customary), and as a result, the formalisation of rights has impeded access for customary users [13]. Water scarcity is therefore political, and competing uses must be resolved, considering that some users may not be able to articulate their needs [13]. Van Koppen et al [34] have recently assessed that IWRM in Tanzania has to date mostly benefited large commercial farms, and hindered smallholder farmers.…”

“…Van Koppen et al [34] have recently assessed that IWRM in Tanzania has to date mostly benefited large commercial farms, and hindered smallholder farmers. The public sector must therefore reflect on how to shape the nature of the supporting environment for private investments in irrigation, including playing a role in balancing access to resources [13].…”