Contribution of rainwater harvesting technologies to rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe: The case of Ngundu ward in Chivi District

This study assessed the livelihood impacts of rain-water harvesting (RWH) technologies in a drought-prone region of Zimbabwe and provides qualitative evidence of increased crop water efficiency. They find that infiltration pits are the most popular RWH technology. Water harvesting provides enough soil moisture for relay cropping and growing a second crop in the dry season. Farmers adopt RWH strategies primarily because of livelihood benefits (ability to grow water-sensitive cash crops: sugar cane, vegetables, bananas, etc., but also identify positive externalities of reduced of soil erosion, maintaining soil fertility, conserving soil moisture, and potential groundwater recharge as benefits of RWH.