Social economic and environmental performance audits of small scale irrigation schemes in Tanzania: a case study of Igomelo and Ipatagwa irrigation schemes, Mbarali district, Mbeya region

This study was conducted at Igomelo and Ipatagwa Irrigation Schemes in Mbarali District Mbeya Region. The main objective of the research was to perform socioeconomic and environmental audits of small-scale irrigation schemes in the selected study areas. The study involved laboratory work and interviewing the household in the communities concerned and field surveys. Data collection method involved household interview through questionnaires and focus group discussion. The findings show that there is changes in socioeconomic characteristics among farmers in these two small scale irrigation schemes, these changes include increase in household incomes as compared to previous years before the improvement of the irrigation schemes, based on the household interviews the average annual household incomes lie between 650,000 to 1,000,000; employment creation and reduced migration rate to urban area. However marketing of agricultural produce was found to be a challenge in the study area. Moreover environmental problems such as siltation, sedimentation and soil erosion, waterloging and salinization were found to be minimal at the study area. Water borne or water related diseases like malaria, bilhazia, schistomiasis, ameobiasis and diarrhea were increased. It is concluded that presence of small scale irrigation scheme in rural communities have accelerated and promoted the socioeconomic activities however operational and management of the small scale irrigation schemes should be enhanced.