The contribution of informal water development in improving livelihood in Swaziland: A case study of Mdonjane community

A study was undertaken to determine the technologies used by households to abstract and convey water for irrigation and domestic uses, as well as the contribution of the water in improving their livelihood. The Mdonjane area, where the study was carried is situated in the rural upper middleveld of Swaziland, below steep hills that have several springs with streams draining to the Usuthu River. The study involved conducting a field survey to determine the water use activities within the area as well as water abstraction and conveyance methods. A questionnaire was developed and administered to homesteads to ascertain information on their utilisation of water and the contribution of irrigation to their livelihood. A total of 210 homesteads were identified within the community, and interviews were conducted to all the homesteads.The results showed that treated domestic water was not available to all the homesteads. About 32% of the homesteads used pipes to convey water for domestic purposes from streams and springs located at altitudes higher than the homesteads. Thirty one percent and 16 percent of the homesteads obtained water for domestic purposes directly from springs and streams, respectively. A total of 101 homesteads (48%) practised irrigated agriculture. Over 74% of homesteads that irrigated some crops did so on land holdings less than a quarter of a hectare. The dominant crops irrigated were spinach (96 homesteads), cabbages (69 homesteads), beetroots (60 homesteads) and tomatoes (36 homesteads). The majority of the homesteads (53 homesteads) sold their agricultural produce within the farms, with 15 homesteads selling theirs on market stalls situated along the main road. The results also showed that irrigation contributed to poverty alleviation by generating income and provision of food to households. About 25% of the homesteads (52 homesteads) obtained more than 50% of their household food production from irrigation, with nine percent (18 homesteads) getting all their household income from sale of irrigated crops.The irrigation and domestic water development in the study area could serve as an example of successful projects initiated by individual members of the rural community where the homesteads use locally available technologies for improving their livelihood. While such development can be expanded to other parts of the highveld and upper middleveld of Swaziland where there are several springs and streams, there is need for monitoring the impacts of such activities on the environment.