Abstract
The basic objective of the irrigation reforms, i.e., participatory irrigation management in Pakistan, was a better economic and financial management of irrigation service delivery, equity in water distribution, and better environmental outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the optimism with the reforms package that has actually delivered expected outcomes. For this purpose, this study used a cross-sectional dataset of 567 farmers in five selected Area Water Boards (AWBs) of Punjab and Sindh provinces of Pakistan. Important institutional features including compliance, adaptiveness, clarity of objectives, good interaction, and appropriate scale, were modeled through structural equation modeling on the overall performance assessment of water use associations from a farmer’s perspective. Results suggested that clear objectives, adaptiveness, scale, and compliance show a strong relationship with an overall assessment of performance. While good interaction has not impacted significantly with an overall performance assessment. The impact of institutional feature on the overall performance assessment depends on the nature of performance considered, e.g., drivers of the economic performance of a farmer organization may not be the same as the drivers of its environmental performance. Besides offering insights on specific drivers that matter for a particular dimension of the institutional performance of farmer organizations, the study suggests that participatory irrigation management institutions are still in infancy even after decades of their introduction, and just creating institutions is neither mandatory nor sufficient. Furthermore, the institutional designs are considered critical for the success of participatory institutions. Therefore, there is a need to consider the conformity of the strategies with the existing norms and compliance to the on-going procedures.
Highlights
The reforms in water institutions in Pakistan, i.e., Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM)systems were formulated to achieve high crop productivity, economic efficiency, and equitable distribution of irrigation water among farmers
The overall assessment performance onlyassessment estimated of performance was only estimated through the institutional features; whereas, the concept through the institutional features; whereas, the concept of ‘rationalities’ for irrigation performance of is for irrigation performance is the reserved for futureofstudies
It is evident from the results that the value of Cronbach α is higher than the recommended level of 0.70 in all institutional features except one, i.e., scale/size (SC) variables
Summary
The reforms in water institutions in Pakistan, i.e., Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM)systems were formulated to achieve high crop productivity, economic efficiency, and equitable distribution of irrigation water among farmers. PIM is recognized as an effective tool for irrigation water management in the developing world [1]. Still, there is considerable hope with participatory approaches to irrigation management because such approaches go beyond the day-to-day maintenance and management problems of the irrigation systems and aim to involve sustainability values by managing the behavior of the farmers. This is possible through well-designed institutional arrangements and awareness of all farmers/water users about the objectives of the system and their respective roles and responsibilities [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
