Impact of Community-Based Water Management on the Livelihoods of Smallholder Farmers in Kirehe District, Rwanda
Author
Hakizimana Jean Marie Vianney and Albert O. Maake
Abstract
Access to reliable water is a key determinant of agricultural productivity and household welfare among smallholder farmers in drought-prone Eastern Rwanda. This study assessed the socio-economic impact of the Community-Based Water Management Project (CBWMP) on smallholder farmers in Kirehe District. Guided by Integrated Water Resources Management, the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and Community-Based Resource Management theory, the study adopted a mixed-methods descriptive–correlational design. Quantitative data were collected from 304 participating farm households, selected from a population of 1,267 using Slovin’s formula, through a structured five-point Likert questionnaire; qualitative data were obtained through key informant interviews with 22 project staff and focus group discussions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression and thematic analysis. Results show that the project was well implemented, with high mean scores for access to irrigation water (4.20), water use efficiency (4.24), community participation (4.19), infrastructure development (4.23) and training and capacity building (4.24). Farmers also reported strong improvements in crop yield (4.24), household income (4.21), food security (4.23), livelihood diversification (4.22), health and nutrition (4.22) and overall livelihood (4.30). A strong positive association was found between CBWMP implementation and socio-economic livelihood (r = .959, p < .001), and the five project components jointly explained 94.9% of the variance in livelihood outcomes (R² = .949). Community participation and access to irrigation water were the strongest predictors. The study concludes that community-based water management is an effective pathway for rural livelihood improvement and recommends expanding irrigation infrastructure, sustaining farmer training, deepening inclusive participation and conducting longitudinal impact evaluations.
Keywords
Community-based water management; irrigation; smallholder farmers; food security; livelihoods; Rwanda
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