Effects of Small Scale Irrigation on Women Farmers’ Well-being Status in Sikasso Region of Mali

Abstract

Irrigated farming is key to increasing crop productivity. However, information on its effects on farmers’ wellbeing status are limited. Therefore, this study examined effects of small scale irrigation on women farmers’ well-being status in Sikasso Region of Mali. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 160 respondents(user and non-users) while data were collected using interview schedules and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Respondents’ mean age and farm size were 43.04 ± 11.46 (users), 45.23 ± 10.87 (non-users) years and 1.22 ± 0.63 (users), 1.06 ± 0.60(non-users) hectares. Major constraints facing users are crop damage (=2.68), unavailability of input (=2.41) and inadequate credit facility (=2.15). Sixty percent, 98.8%, 85.0%, 85.0% of users have higher level of material, economic, mental and social well-being, respectively compared to 25%, 0.0%, 68.8% and 35.0% of non-users with similar status. The overall wellbeing of 73.8% of users were better-off compared to 11.3% of non-users. A significant difference (t= 11.110) existed in the wellbeing status of users and non-users. Utilisations of small-scale irrigation systems have positive effects on the mental, social, economic and material wellbeing of the users. Hence, the need to extend small scale irrigation to non-users in the study area. Keyword: Well-being, Small scale irrigation, farm size, non-users of irrigation, Mali