Success Factors of Irrigation Projects Based on A "Public–Private Partnership" Model in A Mountainous Area: A Case Study in the Nujiang River Valley, China

Yanbo Li,Jinming Hu,Hong Zhu,Weijiao Di,Liyun Zhang,Daniel Oscar Suman

doi:10.3390/su11236799

Abstract

Irrigation systems are critical for food security and drought adaptation in mountainous areas. However, lack of funding and low efficacy of government-funded irrigation projects hinders irrigation infrastructure development. A public–private partnership (PPP) model is recommended for irrigation development, but its application in mountainous areas has not been well-documented and analyzed. Based on a case study of pumping station projects in the Lujiang Flatland in the Nujiang River Valley of Southwestern China, this paper aims to reveal the critical success factors of the PPP model in the development of agricultural irrigation infrastructure in mountainous areas. Results showed that the basic models of PPP projects in the study area can be described as follows: (1) private companies invested in and constructed pumping stations; (2) communities operated the stations; (3) farmers paid for the services; and (4) private companies profited from charging water fees, obtaining policy supports, or utilizing farmlands. The main success factors include: (1) rational project design according to local conditions; (2) multi-centered management mechanisms; (3) balanced cost- and risk-sharing mechanisms; and (4) building mutual trusts among stakeholders. This study offers applicable lessons and useful insights for irrigation water development projects and adaptation to drought in mountainous rural communities.

Highlights

Mountainous areas become increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity because of limited arable land, growing population pressure, and negative influences from climate change
Based on comparative case analysis in the Lujiang Flatland (LJF) in the Nujiang River Valley of Southwestern China, this study presents the application of the private partnership (PPP) model in the development of irrigation infrastructure and explores the critical factors influencing the success of project
Irrigation systems are critical for food security and drought adaptation in rural environments

Summary

Introduction

Mountainous areas become increasingly vulnerable to food insecurity because of limited arable land, growing population pressure, and negative influences from climate change. The irrigation facilities and infrastructures are often underdeveloped in mountainous areas due to multiple natural and social factors, such as the complex terrain, scattered farmland, small-scale agricultural production, funds shortage, and inefficient investment. The PPP refers to certain framework arrangements in which the private sector, instead of the government, becomes the main source of investment for the public domain and provides goods and services [5]. The principal benefits of the PPP model for the government are several; this mechanism helps to (1) lighten the government’s financial burden, (2) improve the efficiency of project implementation, (3) make use of advanced technology from the private sector, (4) share risks with the private participant, and (5) produce innovative public services [6,7]

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