Preface

A book preface on water for agriculture in Zimbabwe vis-a-vis policy options for rural smallholder farmers..This book is based on a selection of papers presented at the UZ/ZIMWESI workshop 'Water for Agriculture: Current Practices and Future Prospects' held at Mandel Training Centre in Harare between 11 and 13 March 1996. The background paper to the workshop observed that water in Zimbabwe was in short supply and that droughts in the recent past have had serious implications on Zimbabwe's economy which depends on agriculture. Such a situation demands that the country's scarce water resources be used in a manner that is best for the social and economic good of the country. The challenge is not easy as the problem is multi-faceted: it encompasses natural processes, technological issues, social aspects as well as institutional and legal dimensions. A number of initiatives, such as this workshop, meant to meet the challenge head-on were already underway. Scientists from different backgrounds have undertaken research with a view to offering informed solutions. Practitioners and policy makers have also added their voice to the debate. On its part the government of Zimbabw'e has embarked on a fundamental review of the water sector.Special thanks are due to the Netherlands Organization for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC), The Hague, for providing financial support towards the hosting of the workshop upon which this book is based. NUFFIC also met part of the publication costs. The two coordinating committees of the Zimbabwe Programme on Women, Extension, Sociology and Irrigation (ZIMWESI), a NUFFIC-funded inter-university exchange programme in research and training between the University of Zimbabwe and Wageningen Agricultural University deserve special mention for the moral support they gave us