Transcript Dia 1 - Spate Irrigation

2.1
MANAGEMENT OF SPATE
IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
Management of spate irrigation:
role of local government and user
organisations
Viability of spate irrigation systems is
determined by strength of organisations
Management arrangements
Three types:
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Farmer management
Farmer management and local government
Farmer management and specialized agency
management
Farmer managed systems
Arrangements for farmer management
– Rules on maintenance and water
distribution
– Internal organisation
– External support mechanisms
– Activities beyond spate management
Rules on maintenance and water
distribution
• Water distribution: Defines who has access to the
floodwater and on what terms
• Linked to contributions in maintenance
Rules on maintenance and water
distribution
Arrangements that relate maintenance to water
allocation
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Contribution according to shares – contribute in
accordance to his land share irrespective of whether
it was irrigated or not.
Graded contributions – contribution related to
likelihood of irrigation
Contribution according to capacity – those that
have draught animals are expected to bring them,
those that do not, only provide labour
Contribution according to benefit – for instance
proportion of harvest
Contribution by contract - only those who want
to be entitled to water contribute. All others are
expected to close their field inlets.
Rules on maintenance and water
distribution
• Important requirement of maintenance is their
robustness – ability to keep the systems going even in
‘bad’ years
Internal organisation
in farmer managed systems
• Typical Characteristics
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–
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Minimum overhead costs
Maintenance organised as common labour
Seasonal (paid) functionaries
Sub-groups
Committee Meetings in Bada, Eritrea
The first meeting of the committee and group leaders is usually
held after the harvest to discuss the reconstruction of the
diversion structure (agim). The second meeting takes place
after the reconstruction work to evaluate the work on the agim.
The third meeting is held before the start of the planting season
to discuss if diversion structures requires additional
maintenance and if measures to avoid crop damage by pests
and livestock are necessary. During this meeting the committee
usually also decides which fields should be irrigated with the
water of late floods. The fourth meeting takes place after the
planting period to organise crop protection and to discuss
measures to control damage by floods especially in the field to
field system. Meetings should be attended by at least two-third
of all farmers. Farmers absent during a meeting have to accept
the decisions made.
Internal organisation
• Functionaries – typical tasks
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–
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Coordinate water supply to the flood channel
Supervise water distribution along the channel
Organize repair works
Mobilisation of contributions for maintenance
Example
Sheikh al-Wadeyeen (master of two
wadis)
Ex
Wadi Tuban, Yemen
• Determine the water share of each main
canal, following consultation of each Sheikh-al
Obar (canal leader)
• Decide the number of days that water is
allocated to each main canal
• Decide the required work to divert spate water
at head reach
Example
Raakha (engineer/guard
on earthen bund),
DI Khan, Pakistan
 supervise the layout and position of
earthen bund, when it is constructed;
 before the rainy season inspects the
structure and points out weaker
sections
 vigilance during the spate season
and communication with individual
field owners, water user association,
down stream farmers and with
revenue department
 witness breaching of the
sadd/Ghandi
 keep contacts with raakha of next
downstream structure(s).
Internal organisation
in farmer managed systems
• Existence of sub-groups
– Easy mobilisation of labour for
maintenance at block and group/flood
channel level
– Facilitation of the implementation of rules
Example
Ternafi (subcommand
leader), Sheeb, Eritrea
 assess the amount of labour required
to carry out specific works;
 mobilise labour for maintenance of
irrigation structures;
 supervise the works undertaken by
farmers of his group;
 check if all fields in his group
receive irrigation water;
 convey information and directives
from the local administration/Ministry
of Agriculture to the sub-group leaders;
 investigate reasons when a farmer
has not contributed labour during
collective works;
 transfer messages and requests from
to the local administration
 prepare written reports about the
works undertaken by his group
External support
• Social organisation required to mobilize human and
animal power for construction of diversion structures
has been difficult to sustain in places:
– For instance the outmigration after a drought can
cause the loss of a ‘critical mass’ of people to maintain
and repair the system
– Or where there is inequity and ‘powerplay’ certain
areas are deprived of water
• Need to support for instance by:
– Organizing Water Users Associations – but be careful to
do it right
– Support of earthmoving equipment: allow the timely
reconstruction of the diversion bunds
Activities beyond spate management
• Main task local farmer organisations:
Organisation of maintenance and the
enforcement of water distribution rules
• However: These organisations may function
as well in other situations (social capital is
there): land disputes, tenancy, crop planning,
extension and marketing
Management by farmers and local
government
• Medium and large systems: Increase in
complementing role of local government in
management
Especially in Pakistan
there is an excellent
tradition of this joint
management in spate
irrigation
Riaz Mohammed
AC Rod Kohi, DG Khan
Farmer management and local
government
Local government/administration:
– Play a constructive and supplementary role in
organising maintenance and supervising water
distribution
– Facilitate other processes in spate irrigation
– Intervene when necessary
– Use (old) water right records
Example
Teshildar, Kacchi, Pakistan:
(local government):
•Oversees water distribution
between different area on
same river
•Oversees that no new areas
are developed
•Organizes collection of tax
WITH DECENTRALIZATION MAGISTRAL
POWERS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF
DISAPPEARED
THIS HAS BEEN A SERIOUS SET BACK IN THE
OPERATION OF WATER DISTRIBUTION AND
ORGANIZATION OF MAINTENANCE –
THIS NEEDS BE CORRECTED!
EXAMPLE: AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL TUBAN 1950
YEMEN

Director of Agriculture (chairman), Permanent Secretary of the Department of Agriculture
(deputy chairman) and seventeen to twenty five members, representing the landlords and
cultivators.
 Mashayikh al-A’bar (supervisors of channels) from the two wadis may be invited to attend
meetings but their opinions shall be advisory in nature.
 The Director of Agriculture shall submit to HH the Sultan a list of the names of those whom
he nominates for the membership of the Agricultural Council, and H.H. the Sultan shall select
from among them the required number.
 The term of membership of the Council shall be for two years as from the date of
appointment.
FUNCTIONS OF THE COUNCIL
•
Division of water between the two main wadis
 Supervising water distribution and irrigation sequence
within the area

Rationalizing tenancy rules

Distribution of land among small and large cultivators.
.
Maintenance of channels and barrages.
 Devising of a system for dealing with lands which are
forced to pay maintenance contributions but which were not
irrigated
 Regulation of maintenance charges on channels and
wadis, and assigning a special fund for them.
 Introduction of a special system for thesecond irrigation
of land is planted with red sorghum, so that the local food
security is ensured

Scrutinize agricultural land sales
 Review penalties applied to offenders and
transgressors.
 Issue annual report of revenues and expenditure,
submit it to H.H. the Sultan, and then have it published for
the information of the public.
 Issue bye-laws and put them into execution after
obtaining the assent of H.H. the Sultan.

Convene twice each month
, During the spate season at least twice weekly
 If a member fails to attend four consecutive sessions without permission, he is
regarded as having resigned
 All decisions of the Council shall be taken by simple majority vot
When the votes are equal the Chairman shall have a casting vote
; Quorum shall be considered to be established only when more than half the number
of Council members are assembled.
Agency management
• Specialized
agencies take
responsibility for
the management of
spate systems
• Examples:
Tihama
Development
Authority, Rod Kohi
Authority
Agency
management
suffers from:
– Inability to live
up to the
promise of basic
maintenance as a
result of under
funding
– Inability to
manage and
distribute water
in a moderately
fair manner
because of poor
links to farmer
organisations or
local government
– Continued high
expectations
Agency management
• Agency managements suffer from:
– Inability to live up to the promise of basic
maintenance as a result of under funding
– Inability to manage and distribute water in a
moderately fair manner because of poor links to
farmer organisations or local government
– Continued high expectations
Recommendations
• Important factors for improvement
projects in farmer management:
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Clear leadership
Clear arrangements for maintenance
Low-cost structures
Limited permanent positions
Strengthening sub-groups
Extend role of local government organisations
Recommendations
• Important factors for improvement
projects in agency management:
– Reduction of role in water distribution
– Limit involvement to complex
maintenance
– Promotion of effective communication
– Involvement of farmer representatives