Is water and land redistribution a driver of economic growth and poverty reduction? Lessons from Zimbabwe

This paper analyses the case of Zimbabwe since independence to examine the extent to which the redistribution of land and water in developing countries results in economic growth and a reduction in poverty. In order to maximize water's contribution to poverty reduction and economic growth it is necessary to (1) distinguish between communal and commercial farmers; (2) ensure that institutions are in place to support the new communal farmers and enable them to make decisions about how best to use their new wealth; and (3) design irrigation systems with low operational costs and easy maintenance.