Focus Group Discussions

we used in all the three focus group discussions as discussion points to gain a deeper understanding and a multiple voiced perspective on the issues. The themes are as follows:

Theme 1.

Is the real challenge of the irrigation schemes the “Management crisis” in the irrigation scheme?

Theme 2.

Is the real challenge of the irrigation scheme due to family issues i.e., inheritance?

Theme 3.

Is water shortage the real challenge in Nyanyadzi irrigation scheme?

Theme 4.

Is the real challenge of the irrigation scheme generational gaps in farmers?

1^st generation of farmers- pioneer 2^nd generation of farmers- current elders 3^rd generation of farmers- born free.

In each focus group discussion participants were grouped into four clusters to deepen the discussions by critically reflecting on one of the above themed questions. The different Focus group discussion proceedings are described and discussed below:

3.2.2.1 Female plot holders’ Focus Group Discussion

In this study, the first focus group discussion was conducted on the 12^th of March 2018 mid- morning at the AGRITEX office with twenty female plot holders. This was a mixed group from young to elderly women who own a plot in Nyanyadzi irrigation scheme. This group was purposefully chosen from all the four blocks of the irrigation scheme. The ideal group members were discussed with the Assistant Irrigation Manager who was tasked to coordinate the process.

Hence, the desire to have a mixed group of young and old women was stressed, secondly a numerical balance per Block and lastly, only plot holders were clearly articulated to the Assistant Irrigation Manager. Hence, a purposeful sampling procedure was adopted in the focus group discussion. The task for selection and inviting the group members was left to the Assistant Irrigation Manager since he had the plot holder data base and he knew the rightful people through his interactions with them.

On that very morning I was joined by my assistant researcher whom I had also trained on photo and video shooting using our two camera we had. In addition to the Assistant Irrigation Manager, I was assigned another two Extension officers to help me with the catering facilities as well as the general site setting. In this event the Assistant Irrigation Manager helped me in facilitating the focus group discussion and he helped by introducing me and the study foci to the participants. It was easy to seek ethical clearance from the people since some of the members invited, I realised were my interviewees in the first round of interviews I conducted. Secondly, the turnout was excellent because the Assistant Irrigation Manager used his portfolio and I also wanted to believe that it was also because of the purposeful sampling hence, he chose the people he was sure would turn up. Lastly, the venue was familiar to them since they happen to host most if not all their meetings at the AGRITEX office hence, the venue holds a symbolic stature in the society.

After the introductions and the ethical considerations protocols as described earlier on, I led the discussion particularly following the focus group discussion guide (see Appendix H). The focus group discussion was audio and video recorded. Three audio recorders and a cell phone were used simultaneously at least to capture all the details during the four discussion breakaway clusters. To save time we were fed during the four breakaway discussion tasks and each cluster discussed one of the above four listed themes. They were asked to audio record the discussions and present their insights in the focus group discussion for a further discussion. In the main focus group discussion, the representatives of each cluster presented and after every presentation we had a critical discussion, reflecting on the real issues affecting the irrigation scheme. Again, this was a verification and clarity seeking process as mentioned earlier on. In addition, the focus discussion was video recorded for further analysis and mirror data in the CLW. The first focus group discussion lasted approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. At the end of the focus group discussions the participants were asked to sign the attendance register and were further invited to participate in the CLW whose dates were still yet to be announced. We agreed that for continuity sake in these discussions we should follow up these issues in the CLW. We then broke away and everyone was wished a safe travel back to their respective homesteads. As I finished with the female participants the males were already trickling in for the 2pm meeting. We barely had a 30-minute rest before we got into the next focus group discussion.

3.2.2.2 Male plot holders’ Focus Group Discussion

The second focus group discussion was conducted the 12^th of March 2018 afternoon at the AGRITEX office with twenty male plot holders. As explained above the selection and invitation of the male farmers was purposeful and the task was left to the Assistant Irrigation Manager. The focus group discussion was scheduled at 2pm but because of the unforeseen delay in start in the morning and the lateness of some male farmers we decided to begin at 2:30pm. In the meantime, we shared food with the participants as we were waiting for some to come and this was done to avoid disturbance in the proceedings of the focus group discussions once we started and secondly, it gave us ample time to charge our data collection instruments.

At 2:30pm all the intended participants had arrived, and we started the focus group discussion with a prayer from one of the group members. Afterwards, the Assistant Irrigation Manager introduced us and the foci of the study. I was then given the floor to expand more on the study which I did, and I also sought the participants’ consent using the ethical form (see Appendix D). All the participants accepted and the audio as well as the video recording of the focus group discussion were started. We had deeper discussions following the outline in the male plot holder’s Focus Group Discussion guide (see Appendix i) and as we were nearing the end of the discussions the farmers were clustered into four small groups. Each group was tasked with one of the themes listed in Section 3.2.2. They were allocated 15 minutes to critically discuss them, record their discussion and one person was asked to present when we broke back into the main group.

We had extremely critical discussions after every presentation and the participants were also delighted by the process and how much they had learnt as a group. The focus group discussion lasted for approximately 2 hours 28 minutes. At the closing stage of the discussion an invite to the next event that will be a CLW was extended to the participants and the date was said to be announced soon. The participants were also asked to fill in the attendance register.

3.2.2.3 Irrigation Management Committee (IMC) Focus Group discussion

The third and the fourth focus group discussions were combined because most of the IMC were continuing into the second term. The focus group discussion was conducted on the 13^th of March

2018 at Nyanyadzi AGRITEX offices. The focus group discussion was conducted with ten outgoing and ten current sitting management committee members who were purposefully chosen by the Assistant Irrigation Manager. As previously argued the Assistant Irrigation Manager was also given the mandate to purposefully select and invite the current and out-going Irrigation Management Committee (IMC) members. Unlike the other groups the IMC members were punctual, and I suspect they thought they had been called in for those Tuesday important meetings.

When I was discussing with the Assistant Irrigation Manager the previous day and I was worried so I even asked him that do you think they will all turn up like what others have done. The Assistant Irrigation Manager responded by stating that remember tomorrow it is a Tuesday and we normally have our Tuesday meetings with them here so it is a matter of a phone call they will be here.

They were punctual, and they all came as expected. Just like in the previous focus group discussion one of the IMC member opened the session with a prayer and the Assistant Irrigation Manager introduced us and the study foci. He left the floor open for me to expand on the study foci and we went straight into the discussion guided by the Focus Group Discussion guide for IMC (see Appendix J). Towards the end of the discussion, we broke away into four small clusters and each cluster was tasked with a theme to critically discuss. After some 15 minutes of critical discussions, we came back together in one big group and we engaged in critical reflections of the tasks. One cluster would present, and we discuss what it means for the irrigation scheme. This way I was able to verify and build deeper understanding of the multidimension complexities the farmers were faced by in their irrigation crop production and marketing activities. The focus group discussions lasted for approximately 4 hours 30 minutes and this shows the intensity of the discussions.

Overall, through these focus group discussions I was close to surfacing and understanding the contradictions faced by the farmers activity and through interacting with other critical activity systems. A further reconciliation and building from the ethnographic data generated from the in- depth interviews with the three generations of farmers I was able to get stronger insights to some issues like, irrigation management styles, the inheritance system and plot holder system, farmer education and training as well as issues on water management and crop market management. In essence, the focus group discussions were relevant to provide perspective on current complex multi-dimensional issues, and the learning processes.

After these focus group discussions, I also undertook site observations throughout the four Blocks of Nyanyadzi irrigation scheme to observe structures, practices and actors engagements in the irrigation scheme. This was also one way to ground truth some of the issues raised in the interviews and in the focus group discussions.