Participatory Irrigation Management Research Articles

Hydraulic bureaucracy and irrigation management transfer: analysing the efficacy of two models in South-India

ABSTRACT This study examines the efficacy of the World Bank model and the European Union Model of Irrigation Management Transfer in crafting sustainable water user associations in South India. Based on the narratives and field-based evidence retracing the implementation trajectory of institutional reforms and the subsequent forms of governance of irrigation systems in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, this article articulates how bureaucratic mediation either perpetuates the legacy of hydraulic bureaucracy or renders post bureaucracy on record in encumbering the efficacy and sustainability of participatory irrigation management.

Empowering Farmers to Enhance Water Use Efficiency: Innovative Practices in SSPC

The Sardar Sarovar project, featuring a gravity dam on the Narmada River in Gujarat, stands as one of the largest in terms of concrete volume globally. This study investigates the project's extensive canal network and its impact on agricultural productivity in the command area. Covering a vast expanse across multiple states, the project's irrigation allocation and water management strategies are examined. Special attention is given to addressing soil degradation issues, particularly salinity, and implementing farmer-centered interventions to enhance water use efficiency. Methodologies include land rejuvenation efforts, reclamation of salt-affected land, participatory irrigation management, and promoting improved agricultural practices. Results indicate successful mitigation of soil degradation and increased crop yields through strategic interventions like cotton-castor relay cropping which has demonstrated a 1.5-fold increase in income compared to sole cropping. Intercropping with isabgul/ajwain, and implementing deficit irrigation have resulted in a substantial 43% increase in overall yield, particularly in cumin cultivation. Farmers have also embraced innovative water-saving techniques, such as alternative furrow irrigation and strategic timing of irrigation during critical growth stages, resulting in water savings of 30-35%. However, challenges remain in achieving widespread adoption of participatory irrigation management practices. The study concludes with insights into the necessity of sustained social engineering efforts and community engagement for long-term water resource management and agricultural sustainability in the project area.

Empowerment of farmers through participatory irrigation management in Bihar, India

AbstractPoorly performing irrigation schemes in India require technical, managerial and institutional support on an urgent basis. In recent years, participatory irrigation management (PIM) has gained momentum as a strategy to improve the performance of irrigation systems, increase water use efficiency and promote equitable water distribution. This approach involves the active involvement of farmers and other stakeholders in the planning, implementation and management of irrigation systems. The state of Bihar has primarily an agrarian economy and irrigation is essential for agricultural production. However, Bihar's irrigation potential is being underutilized due to improper management of irrigation systems. In Bihar, the experiment of PIM in the Paliganj distributary of the Sone irrigation scheme was attempted as a local initiative by WALMI Patna, which was funded by USAID, and, thus, the need for an overall state policy and strategic plan was realized. Therefore, PIM has been implemented through the formation of water users' associations (WUAs) and farmers’ organizations (FOs) at different levels under the Bihar Irrigation Act of 1997, and Bihar Irrigation, Flood Management and Drainage Rules, 2003. The Bihar model of PIM is based on the macro‐to‐micro approach because of its geographical conditions and the size of the schemes in the state. This paper examines the implementation of PIM in Bihar and its impacts on farmers.

Opportunities and limitations to social learning for sustainability: empirical insights from a participatory approach to community-based resource management in the Philippines

ABSTRACTSocial learning is increasingly identified as a valuable tool in the pursuit of sustainable development agenda in the same manner that participatory processes are seen as important avenues for creating social learning situations. Through an empirical case study of participatory processes undertaken to rehabilitate a community-based irrigation system in the Philippines, this study explores two interrelated questions: what feature of the participatory irrigation management approach implemented in the Philippines facilitates social learning, and what were the limiting factors for its long-term success? One of the most prominent features of participatory approaches elucidated in this case study is the integration of traditional institutions into more contemporary formalized farmer associations. While this approach helped legitimize intervention and enhanced local cooperation for a successful project implementation, our findings underscores the need for carefully designed participatory processes that are specifically aimed at creating long term learning outcomes. Further study is recommended to further explore how social learning can be facilitated beyond the intervention phase of project-based participatory approaches.

Nilai Indeks Kesiapan Program Modernisasi Irigasi pada Daerah Irigasi Sucen Jawa Tengah

Modernization of irrigation systems plays a huge role in realizing a participatory irrigation management system oriented towards efficiency, effectivity, and sustainability of irrigation systems to support food and water security. This study aims to evaluate the modernization readiness of the Sucen Irrigation, referring to the five pillars of irrigation modernization as measured by the readiness index score (IKMI). The method used in this research is direct observation and interviews. The result from this study shows that Sucen Irrigation Area got a moderate category with a total score of 63.5 which the result for each pillar is 14.8 of the IKMI score for Water Availability, 17 for Irrigation Facilities and Infrastructure, 10.6 for the Irrigation Management System, 14.2 for Institutional Management, and 6.9 for the last pillar which is Human Resources Management. Therefore, the moderate category points to modernization should be postponed to improve the irrigation system within 1-2 years.

Survey data on preferences and attitudes towards participatory irrigation management in India and Pakistan

The data described in this paper were collected from four jurisdictions in south Asia, Assam and Bihar in India and Punjab and Sindh in Pakistan. The data were collected from farmer households involved in surface water irrigation with the aim of understanding the merits of participatory irrigation management (PIM) in different settings in south Asia. The data were collected using four structured survey instruments, which comprised three paper-based surveys and one online survey collected via tablets. This data can be used by researchers to empirically analyze: overall institutional performance and its relationship to agro-economic variables; drivers of compliance; gender differences and their impact on participation in water groups and perceptions of performance; preferred charging regimes and broader institutional arrangements for managing water at the local level. These data are unique, having been collected simultaneously across the four jurisdictions.

Cropping Scenario in Water User Associations (WUAs) Managed Groundwater Irrigation System’s Command Area in West Bengal

The groundwater irrigation, catering to more than 60 per cent of total irrigation in India, has significantly contributed to food grains production. Participatory irrigation management programme has been implemented transferring irrigation management to WUAs. Present study was undertaken during 2019 to explore cropping scenario in groundwater irrigation command under jurisdiction of WUAs in Burdwan district of West Bengal covering a random sample of 120 farmers. It is revealed that paddy was the major crop in both kharif and summer season. During rabi season, potato was grown in larger areas followed by mustard. While all 120 farmers had grown paddy as single crop in kharif season, 100 and 82 farmers have cultivated potato and mustard in rabi season and 75 farmers have grown boro rice during summer season. Cultivated land utilization index value was more than 50 per cent. Crop diversity index (CDI) value of 36 per cent showed lack of crop diversification in groundwater irrigation command areas that warrants need of bringing more areas under different crops. Multiple cropping index of 176 per cent showed a higher cropping intensity in groundwater irrigation command. Thus, Extension advisory services need to promote crop diversification in groundwater irrigation command areas through proper crop planning and capacity building of WUAs.

Mapping Impact of Farmer’s Organisation on the Equity of Water and Land Productivity: Evidence from Pakistan


 
 
 
 
 In 1980, the World Bank began to promote Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) reforms to overcome inequities in the distribution of irrigation water. This paper attempt to map the land and water productivity under the PIM and Non-PIM irrigation schemes in the Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS). This study integrates the remotely sensed datasets along with the traditional survey approach for data collection to holistically understand the performance of different irrigation governance regimes. We found that although the reform area in Sindh is performing better on many equity-related indices, a considerable inequity still persists between the head and tail reaches of the main canal. The variation in crop choices is the main reason for disproportionate economic return per unit of land and water and the role of farmer’s organisation to reduce the inequitable distribution of the water resource has limited success so far. However, it is seen that farmers’ role in improved irrigation management can be enhanced with better future legislation and devolution of more power and authority rather than only responsibility. We propose that the PIM theory of change, accompanied by mobilisation activities designed to generate hydro-solidarity and support the enactment of new social roles in contexts of social power asymmetries, could improve outcomes under PIM.
 
 
 
 

How Significant Are the Roles Moral Obligation and Formal Institutions Play in Participatory Irrigation Management?

Against the background of the agricultural tax reform and the disintegration of China’s rural collective agriculture system, participatory irrigation management (PIM) is the key to improving irrigation management performance. Based on the survey data of 712 peasant households in the Yellow River basin of China, this study employs multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the impact of moral obligation and formal institutions on PIM. The results show that both moral obligation and formal institutions can significantly improve collective action. Collective action can markedly promote irrigation management performance, and the formal institution can significantly enhance the farmers’ moral obligation. Additionally, the results of the multi-group analysis show that the agricultural income level of households and their provinces can regulate the impact of moral obligation and formal institutions on PIM. Therefore, to improve irrigation management performance, strategies of intensifying moral obligation and refining formal institutions are recommended for governments and village committees.

Exploring a Balinese irrigation water management system using agent-based modeling and game theory

In the irrigation sector, water-related conflict has been compounded due to social issues such as climate change and urbanization-induced population dynamics. Although Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) and Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) were implemented for sustainable irrigation infrastructure management, results of PIM/IMT implementations exhibit conflicts between WUAs and the lack of water users’ associations’ (WUAs) participation in management. To unfold PIM/IMT issues, Agent-Based Model (ABM) helps analyze conflicts, and game theory helps analyze governing concepts underlying cooperative management such as rules. This study discusses the applicability of ABM and game theory to analyze conflicts over surface irrigation water and harvesting labor and also aims to present solutions to increasing conflicts due to labor resource depletion owning to urbanization. To investigate cooperative WUAs amid the pressure of social changes, we chose WUAs in Bali, Indonesia, known as “subaks”. Rice cultivation management practices of five subaks in the study area were identified by stakeholder analysis approach, and we developed an ABM to model water management of six agents representing subaks. To examine influence of harvesting labor supply on water management, noncooperative game theory was applied, and three harvesting labor scenarios and two strategies were generated. Scenario analysis indicates that with severe shortages in the harvesting labor supply, harvesting labor allocation orders could compound the decline in annual rice production. This study also establishes that although current management practices maintain cooperative relationships between subaks and flexible management practices likely strengthen cooperative relationships, social changes could accelerate farmers’ noncooperative behavior. To resolve conflicts, subaks need to develop cooperative relationships on a larger scale, but social issues go beyond the intra-community level and will require government intervention to efficiently use deceasing resource supply. This method using ABM and game theory will contribute to the development of socio-hydrological analysis approach to sustainable resource allocation in PIM/IMT study.

Participatory water institutions and sustainable irrigation management: evidence and lessons from West Bengal, India

Abstract Based on a survey of selected Water Users’ Associations (WUA) and their members in West Bengal, India, this paper examines the nature and determinants of member participation in irrigation management. WUA meetings were held on a regular basis with higher member participation under Tube Well, Check Dam and River Lift Irrigation schemes. Their physical characteristics (e.g., high sub-surface storage and flowing rivers with large catchment areas) and system features (e.g., centralized pump house and defined distribution infrastructure) contribute to better water availability, incentivizing the members to participate. Our regression analysis suggests that along with these factors, the socioeconomic attributes of members and their perception about the functioning and decision making of the WUA influence participation in the collective management of schemes. The more the members perceive the functioning of WUAs as democratic and transparent, the greater is their incentive to participate. Greater participatory involvement of the members in the form of donating land for irrigation construction and in training programs is also found to be crucial. So, this paper argues for making the decision-making processes within WUAs democratic and transparent, along with greater efforts toward capacity building of the members, including training for skill enhancement, management and provision of agricultural support practices.

DETERMINANTS AND MEASURES TO ASSESS FARMERS’ PARTICIPATION IN PARTICIPATORY IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT (PIM) AT THE TAIL-END OF IRRIGATION SCHEMES IN SRI LANKA: A REVIEW OF THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

Assessing the determinants affecting farmers’ participation in Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) at the farm household level is vital in identifying the root causes of the prevailing problems at the tail-end of irrigation schemes in Sri Lanka, with a view to finding national level remedies to solve the head-tail disparities in sharing water. The main objective of this study is to propose appropriate determinants and measures to assess farming practices in PIM in Sri Lanka while reviewing the spatial and non-spatial factors that affect, whether significantly or otherwise, farmers’ participation in collective activities. A systematic literature review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. A total of 28 full-text research articles on farmers’ participation in collective action were identified to propose determinants and measures to assess farmers’ participation in PIM. This study identified significant social, economic, managerial, institutional, locational, and physical factors based on previous studies. Addressing the knowledge gap, this study suggests 36 determinants that are helpful to assess the level of farmers’ participation in PIM in Sri Lanka. These include 10 social factors, 6 economic factors, 4 management factors, and 7 institutional factors under the nonspatial category, while 5 of the locational and 4 of the physical factors fall under the spatial category. Moreover, this study ensures consistency between the different measures applied to assess farmers’ participation and recommends the usage of distributional and proportional measures to determine farmers’ participation in PIM in Sri Lanka as well as in other countries where IMT or PIM is being implemented.

FARMERS’ ENGAGEMENT IN WATER GOVERNANCE UNDER PARTICIPATORY AND NON-PARTICIPATORY IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Irrigation reforms in Pakistan focused on participatory irrigation management (PIM) to include stakeholders in decision-making to effectively manage the system. Currently, two governance systems are in place in Pakistan. The irrigation department controls one and the other by PIM after adapting the irrigation reforms around twenty years back. This study has focused on comparative analysis of the users’ experiences in both systems about governance in Sindh province of Pakistan by using good governance principles. The study used multistage cluster sampling technique and quota-based technique to select sample size for primary data collection. Four distributaries with location and PIM and non-PIM attributes were selected. A 5-scale Likert survey questionnaire was designed to find user experiences. To analyze the data and compare the performance of different systems, Kruskal-Wallis-H-Test and Post-Hoc-Mann-Whitney-U-Test were employed. Results show that both irrigation systems are not ideally working according to principles of good governance. PIM needs to abide and follow the established principles and practices to reap the benefits of the participatory system to contribute in the better governance and management of irrigation system.

Performance of Groundwater Irrigation System as Perceived by Farmers in West Bengal

In spite of being the most fundamental stakeholder, farmers often receive least attention for assessment of irrigation performance. Present study assessed the performance of groundwater irrigation systems being managed by water user associations (WUAs) in Burdwan (East) district of West Bengal from the perspectives of farmers during the year 2019. A random sample of 120 famers under four groundwater irrigation systems perceived that most of the parameters of irrigation performance in term of irrigation service utility at a higher level with mean perception score >4.0 except for the certainty of water delivery (2.67) leading to overall mean perception score 4.12 in kharif season. Farmers perceived similarly in rabi season with overall mean perception score 4.15; however, the overall perception of farmers regarding irrigation in summer season was relatively low (3.78). Overall irrigation performances under the jurisdiction of WUAs was perceived very good by all the farmers for all three seasons with index values more than 93 per cent. The farmers’ participation in irrigation management has helped in better water management that advocates for promoting participatory irrigation management through WUAs in all the minor irrigation systems to overcome low irrigation efficiency and other management constraints being faced in irrigated areas.

Impact on Knowledge of Blackgram Growers in Periyar Vaigai Command Area of Madurai District

The World Bank Supported TN IAM (Irrigated Agriculture Modernization) Project is a follow up of IAMWARM presently it was called as (Irrigated Agriculture Modernization and Water-Bodies Restoration and Management) Project which has made significant development and impacts in the Tamil Nadu state by modernizing irrigation infrastructure, improving water use efficiency, enhancing yield and productivity of agriculture in a climate resilient production systems, diversification towards high-value crops, strengthening the institutional reforms through Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) and Water Users Association (WUA). Madurai District of Tamil Nadu was purposively selected for this study because Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernization Project was conducted under Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. The foremost objective of the study is to assess the knowledge level of respondents in the study area. According to crop production technology aspects revealed that (79.00%) of the beneficiaries possessed knowledge in using VBN 6 variety for cultivation. The study concluded that majority (80.00%) of the beneficiaries were possessed knowledge on (cultural control) fixation of light traps, crop rotation (77.50%) and sowing carry out in proper season.

Bonding and bridging social capital towards collective action in participatory irrigation management. Evidence in Chiang Rai Province, Northern Thailand

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of social capital with bonding and bridging distinction in promoting higher participation in collective action in participatory irrigation management.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 304 farmers was surveyed using a structured questionnaire. A focus group discussion was also carried out with randomly selected water users, leaders and irrigation officers. A confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to test the hypothesised relationship of bonding and bridging social capital towards collective action.FindingsThe findings show that social capital has a significant direct effect on collective action and an indirect effect on joint irrigation management's perceived performance through collective action (mediator). It implies the need to complement the participatory irrigation management programme with an understanding of the social aspects for a higher farmer's participation over the shared resource.Originality/valueThe paper emphasises social capital's role in facilitating a real participatory engagement in shared resource management. Also, it is the first scholarly work linking social capital with bonding and bridging distinction towards collective action in a joint resource management context.

TANK REHABILITATION THROUGH SOCIAL CAPITAL PAPER

There have been a great number of efforts made in various countries to introduce farmer organization, commonly called as water user associations (WUAs) to achieve greater farmer participation in irrigation management. Interestingly there are incidences of farmer participation introduced even in a larger irrigation scheme where definite net benefits could be seen very shortly after the introduction and many more comments on positive effects on participation than negative ones recorded. (Norman Uphoff, 1986) The present research emerged with the research question: What are the important recipes for successful farmer organization particularly in divergent social conditions to achieve common goals? And How does social capital helps nurture and mobilise men and materials for tank rehabilitation? In a cluster of non system tanks, two tanks namely Kedar from Villupuram district and Kattiampandal from Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu, India, were selected as it showed complexities in building social capital among the stakeholders during tank rehabilitation. The objective of this study is to explore reasons for the complexities in the process of building and sustaining social capital for tank rehabilitation. Employing the method called content analysis, the variety of social capital built in the two districts were studied and concluded that it was attributable to the social, economic and political factors such as collective consciousness, caste, financial capital, and leadership responsibilities.

Exclusion of Women Beneath Patriarchal Enclaves in Participatory Irrigation Management in South India

This article examines the impact of the policy initiative for Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) on women’s membership and leadership in Water User Associations of Sathanur, Tamil Nadu. Evidence from this major irrigation system reveals male dominance in irrigation management not only due to denial of opportunity and entitlement to women but also gender bigotry in agrarian relations and deprival of women’s access to land. Thus in practice the neoliberal paradigm of institutional reforms in irrigation despite its manifest agenda of gender mainstreaming latently fortifies patriarchal enclave forfeiting inclusion, participation and representation of women in PIM.

Farmers’ Participation in Irrigation Management in the Punggur Utara Irrigation Area, Indonesia

Farmers’ participation in water resource management in Indonesia has been accommodated through Law No. 7/2004 and Government Regulation No. 20/2006 regarding irrigation. In government regulations, farmers’ participation in irrigation water management has been described in detail, with one of the components of irrigation network management being operations and maintenance. Most irrigation system problems are related to irrigation networks. Farmers’ participation in the Water Users Association (WUA), a farmer institution responsible for managing and developing irrigation networks at the tertiary level, determines how irrigation network management activities are carried out. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the socio-economic characteristics of farmers and of group participation of a WUA in carrying out irrigation management activities in operations and maintenance activities. The result is connected to the physical condition of the irrigation network. The research took place in the village of Sumber Rejo in the Punggur Utara irrigation area, which is in Lampung Province, Indonesia, and is where WUA Harapan Maju is active. Samples were determined based on a random sampling method, which found that the sample size required for the study was 80 farmers. The results show that of socio-economic factors, the most influential is the number of farmers’ dependents, followed by the land area owned by each farmer. It was also found that group participation of WUA Harapan Maju was categorised as “barely” adequate. This result was confirmed by the condition of the irrigation system in the Punggur Utara irrigation area, which was also “barely” adequate, and the system’s operations and maintenance needed to be improved.

Impact of institutional constraints on participatory irrigation management: The regulating role of moral obligation*

AbstractParticipatory irrigation management is key to realizing the virtuous circle in which irrigation facilities are used and managed in rural China. Therefore, it is essential to explore the key factors influencing participatory irrigation management. This paper innovatively analyses the impact of external institutional constraints and internal moral obligation of farmers on participatory irrigation management by using a structural equation model (SEM) and drawing on survey data from 1543 householders in the Yellow River basin. The results indicate that: (i) generally, both institutional constraints and moral obligation have significant positive impacts on collective action in participatory irrigation management; (ii) moral obligation plays an active regulating role in the process of institutional constraints affecting collective action; (iii) collective action contributes positively to the performance of participatory irrigation management. This paper shows that institutional constraints and moral obligation need to be taken into account in participatory irrigation management, and these considerations can offer some insights into governments in managing irrigation systems.