Poverty‐reducing impacts of irrigation: evidence and lessons

Abstract

AbstractThis paper is part of the multi‐country study on “pro‐poor intervention strategies in irrigated agriculture in Asia” carried out by the author at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in collaboration with national partners in six Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam. The study is largely based on primary data collected from over 5400 households in 26 irrigation systems during 2001–2002. This paper summarizes the findings of the study, and further extends the results (as presented in the sister paper in this Special Issue) on direct and indirect benefits and disbenefits of irrigation in terms of their poverty alleviation impacts. The paper examines evidence on poverty‐reducing impacts of irrigation in local settings as well as at broader regional levels, and also looks into key factors influencing these impacts, and attempts to answer the following key questions: (i) what is the magnitude of impact of irrigation on poverty reduction; (ii) what is the response of poverty reduction to irrigation or irrigation‐induced expansion in agricultural output across various settings; (iii) do poverty‐reducing impacts of irrigation vary across systems, and if so, why? Or what are the conditioning factors that determine the anti‐poverty impacts of irrigation? The paper offers insights into these questions with analyses and findings from our studies and with review and referencing of other related topical studies on the subject. Finally, the paper draws some generic lessons that could be useful in irrigation investment decisions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.