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In large‐scale irrigation schemes built in flood plains the state of the drainage systems not only affects the performance of irrigation but also the quality of life of the population. However, maintenance of the drainage infrastructure is often neglected. This paper draws from two transdisciplinary interventions dealing with the maintenance of drainage infrastructure in the Chokwe Irrigation Scheme in Mozambique: one tested an experimental intervention that called on farmers and experts to solve local drainage issues. The other used a participatory mapping, modelling and simulation approach to discuss the barriers to upscaling different solutions at scheme levels. Managerial issues such as a good communication between actors, a good match between tasks and resources, and the scheduling of maintenance activities were important, but the most difficult challenge was addressing the underlying economic, social and political drivers that affected the relationships between actors and consequently their willingness to cooperate. Thus, the development of perennial solutions calls for (re)internalization of the social and political dimensions in scheme management and to rethink the issue of equity not as a moral injunction but as a condition for irrigation success.

The high nutritional value of amaranth grain makes it attractive for the diet of rural people living in dry semi-arid areas of southern Mozambique. A study was implemented with Amaranthus hybridus and A. tricolor in sandy soil aiming to assess (1) the effect of different watering regimes (80%, 50% and 20% of total available water) on reproductive stage and grain crude protein content of the two species during the rainy and dry seasons, and (2) the effect of day length and minimum temperature on the time to flowering. Six field trials were conducted in Maputo in a randomised complete block design with a 2 × 3 factorial layout with six replications. This study revealed that panicle and internode lengths as well as straw and grain yields of both species decrease when the soil water content decrease. Conversely, the time to flowering and the grain crude protein contents were unaffected by the water deficit. The onset of flowering was significantly delayed by long days. The highest grain yield and harvest inde...

Drought-tolerant crops with high nutritional value such as amaranth leafy vegetables have the potential to improve the diet of rural communities in dry semi-arid areas of southern Mozambique. A study was conducted aiming to assess the vegetative growth and leaf nutritional content of Amaranthus hybridus and A. tricolor when subjected to different watering regimes (80%, 50% and 20% of total available water) during the rainy and dry seasons, and ascertain the relationship between temperature and day length affecting the leaf yield of the two species. Six field trials were conducted in a randomised complete block design with 2 × 3 factorial layout with six replications in Maputo. Vegetative growth was sensitive to soil water at 50% and 20% of available water. However, the leaf and side-shoot number, leaf area and yield were less sensitive to short-interval water deficits during the rainy season. Leaf calcium and crude protein contents were higher at low water levels. Leaf yield was significantly affected by ...