E-Newsletter # 56
THE INPIM E-NEWSLETTER
http://www.inpim.org
ihussain@inpim.org
Welcome to the INPIM E-Newsletter #56
NEWS
Ø World Bank offers new options for reengaging in agricultural water management
Ø Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) offers a new assistance strategy for the irrigation sector in
Ø Asian Development Bank (ADB) announces its new Water Financing Program 2006-2010
Ø African Development Bank launches a new water initiative
Ø Water User Associations Support Program (WUASP) initiates new pilot Water Users Associations (WUAs) in
Ø
Ø First national level ‘showcase’ of irrigation and resource conservation technologies in
Ø Farmers manage and police irrigation systems in
Ø Gender Equity in Participatory Irrigation Management – Experiences from
DONORS’ LENDING FOR IRRIGATION & DRAINAGE PROJECTS
Lending for Irrigation and Drainage Projects by:
Ø World Bank (WB) Group
Ø Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Ø African Development Bank (AfDB)
Ø Inter American Development Bank (IADB)
Ø Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
Ø International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Ø Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)
Upcoming Regional/ International Meets and Events
Ø 26th Conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE) - Water Workshop
Gold Coast, QLD
Ø Water for Irrigated Agriculture and the Environment - Finding a Flow For All
Ø 5th International Symposium on the Agricultural Environment, ‘Agricultural Constraints within the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere Continuum’
Ø IWA World Water Congress and Exhibition
Ø Biofilm Systems VI
Ø International Workshop on Global Irrigated Area Mapping (GIAM)
Ø Innovations in coping with water and climatological change related hazards
Ø The seventh international symposium on problems with waste water management in the agriculture industries
Ø Water Resources-Future Options
Jaipur, Rajasthan
Ø Global Change Issues in Developing and Emerging Countries
Ø International Symposium on Agricultural Innovation Systems in
November 2006
Ø The International Forum on Water and Food
Ø 5th International Water History Association (IWHA) Conference, "Past and Futures of Water"
13-17 June 2007
Ø 10th IWA Specialized Conference on Large Wastewater Treatment Plants
9-13 September 2007
NEW PUBLICATIONS
Ø Reengaging in Agricultural Water Management: Challenges and Options (2006)
Ø Hydro-political Assessment of Water Governance from the Top-down and Review of Literature on Local Level Institutions and Practices in the
Ø Strategic Planning of Sustainable Urban Water Management (June 2006)
Ø Integrated Transboundary Water Management in Theory and Practice (July 2006)
Ø Political Economy of Agrarian Distress (2006)
Ø Farmers' rights in
Ø Decentralization in the agricultural sector in
Ø Gender and desertification: expanding roles for women to restore drylands (2006)
Fellowship and funding opportunities
Ø Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) fellowship programme
Ø International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Postdoctoral Program 2006
Ø Inter American Development Bank (IADB) Scholarship Programmes: Merit Scholarship Programme for High Technology
Ø International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Fellowship
capacity
building and trainings
Ø Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
IN August 14–
November 20–
Ø Water Management and Crop Production
August 31-
Ø Decision Support Systems and Crop Modeling
Ø Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)
September 18-
Ø The Farmer Led Extension Course
October 30-
DETAILS
NEWS AND EVENTS
World Bank offers new options for reengaging in agricultural water management
A new report entitled Reengaging in Agricultural Water Management: Challenges and Options (by the Water for Food Team/ World Bank) describes the changing context of demand and supply for agricultural water, and identifies the policy, institutional and incentive reform options that will accelerate improvements in productivity and pro-poor growth in this sector. The report articulates priorities for investment and indicates options for adjusting the respective roles of the public sector and other stakeholders. The report highlights that agricultural water management is an input to farming and a key factor in farmer incomes, agricultural growth and exports, and poverty reduction. This economic context defines two underlying themes for the future of agricultural water management: productivity of water use and the need for market-driven approaches. The following basic messages indicate how to apply these two themes to the future development and management of agricultural water:
Ø Agricultural water management has to be placed within an integrated water resource management context through integrated and participatory planning that assesses trade offs and ensures optimal use of water at the basin scale.
Ø A focus is required on ways to increase water productivity through a combination of institutional changes that empower the farmer, technological improvements, and investments to intensify and diversify agricultural production and increase farming profitability.
Ø There has to be a move towards new institutional arrangements which give more responsibility and say to farmers, engage the energy of the private sector, and reduce the role of government. The emphasis should be on decentralization, financial viability and accountability of water service providers, empowerment through rights and responsibilities of water users and their organizations, the use of incentives to reflect societal values, and innovative mechanisms to bring in the private sector.
Ø Many factors—policies, institutional change, and investments—need to be integrated to achieve efficient outcomes in all aspects of agricultural water management, from modernization of large-scale irrigation to rainfed agriculture. The sequencing and prioritization of change processes need attention, as well. At the macroeconomic level, policies and programs for water resources, agriculture, and environment need to be integrated. At the local level, investment needs to be based on profitable and sustainable farming and on workable institutional arrangements.
Ø To meet demand, there has to be both intensification and expansion of irrigation. Approaches to this have to be both practical and sensitive to environmental and social concerns, using participatory approaches and new methodologies to make sure that concerns are assessed and that responses enhance the economics and sustainability of investments.
Ø Increased attention is required to the potential for reducing poverty, and to the systematic factoring in of poverty and gender concerns to agricultural water programs. Where possible, irrigation and drainage investments should be targeted at poor areas, and projects should be designed with the needs and capabilities of the poor in mind.
These messages need to be adapted to regional and local situations through a process of dialogue and study that will produce programs of action.
[This is based on the World Bank’s recent publication Reengaging in Agricultural Water Management: Challenges and Options (2006)]
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) offers a new assistance strategy for the irrigation sector in
Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) offers a new strategy for the irrigation sector of
The highest priority is placed on support to improvement of irrigation efficiency through rehabilitation of the existing irrigation facilities, because it has immediate and high level of economic returns.
Also, new development projects could be assisted subject to adequate environmental and social consideration, because there is still room for further development, and flood control projects could be assisted subject to consideration to integrated watershed management in the river basins, because agriculture production is damaged by frequent flood.
In assisting the projects in the above areas, the following aspects should be appropriately addressed and incorporated into the project design:
1) Formation and strengthening of WUAs in charge of operation and maintenance: long-term and comprehensive assistance to WUAs, training, employment of NGOs/facilitators, farmers' participation to the projects at the planning and implementation stage, and beneficiary cost contribution
2) Effective development of facilities, considering cross-sectoral integrated water resource management, adequate environmental consideration, appropriate land acquisition and resettlement, and consultation with beneficiaries
3) Capacity building of concerned government institutions: training, improvement of equipment and vehicles, review of standards and manuals, strengthening of sections in charge of social development, WUA and human resource development, beneficiary participation, strengthening of coordination with other institutions
4) Financial sustainability through cost recovery from beneficiaries: increase in water charge to cover operation and maintenance cost, improvement of water charge collection, improvement of water charge collection structure, water charge collection by WUA, expenditure reduction
5) Support for agricultural development to link irrigation facility improvement with increase in agriculture production: land-leveling, on-farm channel development, agriculture technology extension, introduction of drip and sprinkler irrigation, support to post-harvest distribution and processing, integrated assistance among different institutions
6) Adequate project management organization: coordination with other institutions, improvement of understanding on loan procedures, strengthening of implementation capacity, clarification of roles of institutions and enhancement of autonomy, appropriate tendering and contract management.
Asian Development Bank announces its new Water Financing Program 2006-2010
ADB has formulated a new Water Financing Program (WFP) in response to the wide range of governance, institutional, social, environmental and political issues facing irrigation services, river basin management, flood management, mitigation, and wastewater management. The WFP seeks to make water a core investment area for ADB, under which the bank proposes to increase its water investments to well over $2 billion annually. WFP includes a large pipeline of programmed water investments, a wide array of knowledge and awareness products, and regional cooperation services. Its focus will be on combining increased investments in water infrastructure with capacity building and private sector participation.
For 2006-2010, ADB expects to double its investments in the water sector through its new Water Financing Program, which will direct funds into reforms and capacity development programs at rural communities, cities and river basins. The envisioned long-term impact of the WFP is a significant increase in the number of people in the
African Development Bank launches a new water initiative
The African Development Bank increases operational focus on water and sanitation and has recently launched new Department entirely dedicated to water issues in the African continent. AfDB has reaffirmed the importance it attaches to the infrastructure development on the African continent, with particular emphasis on the Water and Sanitation Sector. Within the framework of the reforms undertaken by the President Donald Kaberuka, a Water and Sanitation Department has become effective from July 2006, under the new Vice Presidency for Infrastructure, Private Sector and Regional Integration (OIVP). This decision will help to consolidate and enhance the AfDB’s leading role in water sector activities in the region. The Department will centralize the AfDB’s water sector activities for better coordination and facilitate the definition and implementation of sustainable solutions across the water value chain, from strategy, policy-making and institutional reforms to project implementation and monitoring. It will spearhead the Bank’s contributions to national efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) targets in the Water sector and the related areas of nutrition, education, health, gender empowerment and environment. The Department will also serve as trustee for the AWF Special Fund, initiated by the African Ministers' Council on Water (AMCOW). Finally, it will also provide support to the NEPAD Water and Sanitation Program, the operation of a multi-donor RWSSI Trust Fund and a multi-donor Water Partnership Program (MDWPP) funded by the
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has over 37 years accumulated a broad experience of water resources management in
Water Users Associations Support Program (WUASP) initiates new pilot Water Users Associations (WUAs) in
The USAID financed Water Users Associations Support Program (WUASP) provides assistance to farmers to promote WUAs in
WUASP’s Approach
The WUASP’s approach to increasing WUA management capacity is to provide technical advice, training and limited financial support to participating WUAs. The major program objectives are to:
Ø Develop WUAs' capacity to manage local irrigation systems, use sound business practices, and adopt democratic principles in its management. The WUASP is demonstrating the benefits of participatory irrigation management whereby management responsibilities and decision-making power are devolved to the local level.
Ø Support WUAs' implementation of institutional and technical improvements through technology transfer programs and limited financial support. This also includes strengthening WUAs’ capacity to include members of the associations in decision-making, and assist farmers to gather and assess relevant market information.
Ø Promote an improved legal and regulatory environment to support the development of WUAs and their long-term sustainability.
Ø Increase WUAs capabilities to carry out ancillary functions, such as providing information and other agricultural related services to their members and other farmers, through cooperation with related USAID and international support programs and activities.
In 2006, WUASP is actively selecting new pilot WUAs in the three countries.
(This information is based on recent material available on WUASP website www.wuasp.uz)
On
First National Level ‘Showcase’ of Irrigation and Resource Conservation Technologies in
Pakistan Guarantee Export Corporation Ltd. organized the first national level fair “Pak Agrotec Kissan Mela” during 14-17 July 2006 in
The prime objective of this exhibition was to highlight the prominent names in farming/ model farmers, agro-based machinery, irrigation related technologies, farm inputs, livestock and dairy etc. and many other related projects to showcase their products and expertise. The Government of Pakistan is keen in promoting such purposeful events, which are target oriented and have positive effects on the productivity and development of the industry. An effort is being made to ensure participation of the related industry by providing subsides.
Since
Pakistan Guarantee Export Corporation Ltd. (PGECL) was established in 2000, in public sector with an aim to follow the visionary guidelines of the progressive policies of the present Government to accomplish a National cause of self-reliance and strong
Farmers Manage and Police irrigation systems in
[This story is from Asia Water Wire, a news resource on a diverse range of water issues in the region (www.asiawaterwire.net). and Asian Development Bank (www.adb.org/water)]
The newly set up Area Water Boards (AWB) and Farmer’s Organizations (FO) have effectively prevented illegal use of the community resource and have also helped to generate revenue for the central coffers.
An evaluation of performance of 85 farmer groups of Lower
Even though theft is punishable under the law flouting the rules had almost become cultural – and people had begun to take pride for stealing water and cheating on tariffs. The PIDA was formed in 1997 to promote participatory irrigation management in
Under the PIDA Act, the farmer organizations are put in charge of policing field-level distribution, controlling theft, resolving disputes and collecting water tariffs. In return, they get to use 40 per cent of the water tariffs to meet operation and maintenance costs. Each farmer group has nine members elected by water users and must include three members from the most disadvantaged sections of the community. "This arrangement has led to some panic among the staffs at the irrigation department who now fear that they could lose jobs," says M. Aslam Qureshi, general manager, PIDA. “The farmer groups also have authority to hire and fire employees so they are in full control,” he adds. Today many government employees have begun to seek jobs at the newly created institutions, including the farmer groups. "Every FO is given water strictly in accordance with the collective requirement of areas under its jurisdiction,” says Sagheer Ahmed, president of a farmer organization. “If any one steals water, he deprives another farmer of his rights and believe me, no one is ready now to let go of a single drop of water from his share," adds Ahmed. People who take more than their share or steal are first issued warnings and those that continue to do so after being warned are charged fines as high as 20 times the price of the stolen water. When everyone uses a fair share everyone, even those at the tail end of the canal get to use water.
PIDA officials said putting the system in place was not easy especially because of the opposition by farmer groups that had found ways to beat the system. "We had to recruit social mobilizers to visit rural areas and explain the idea to locals, the system was introduced only after we had convinced the people of the benefits of participatory management," says M. Aslam Qureshi. The system has been so successful that now other provinces have begun following the path shown by
Gender Equity in Participatory Irrigation Management – Experiences from
Water & Environmental Sanitation Network (WES-Net India)
Solution Exchange for Gender Community
Solution Exchange for WES-Net India
Consolidated Reply
Compiled by Bonani Dhar and Pankaj Kumar S., Resource Persons; additional research provided by Sarika Dhawan and Ramya Gopalan, Research Associates
While working as a team leader on the World Bank funded Andhra Pradesh Economic Restructuring Project on Role of Gender (Women) in Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM), I had discussions with the Government of AP on incorporating gender concerns in policy.
In spite of willingness in government towards building policy space for gender, the lack of a legal framework was found to be a major concern. To fill this gap, I am helping to redraft the regulations on Water Users Association (WUA), which may provide necessary knowledge base to policy planners in Government of Andhra Pradesh.
To detail the context of the issue, in all states of
Irrigation sector reforms have been a priority area among economic sector reforms in Andhra Pradesh. Although women's empowerment concerns have been raised both in the Vision 2020 document of the state as well as the AP Water Vision, there have been no initiatives to engender irrigation sector policy and more importantly, to support women's inclusion in WUAs. Women's status in the WUA is restricted as only legal owners of land have voting rights and most land is under ownership of men. Additional obstacles in women's inclusion despite the reforms are:
- Legal-There are no special provisions for women's participation in the Andhra Pradesh Farmers' Management of Irrigation Systems Act, 1997 (APFMIS).
- Political-Representation of women elected in most medium and minor systems is poor and generally reflects vested political interests.
- Social- So far WUA activities are focused on construction works related to system rehabilitation, participation in which is dominated by men.
- Capacity building-Women's participation remains very low in training programs, which has been a major barrier for women not being able to come to decision-making forums at par with men.
I therefore request members to share their experiences in the following areas on ensuring gender equity in PIM:
1. Successful examples of women's involvement in PIM, enabling them to play a key role in decision making within WUAs.
2. Suitable mechanisms for enhancing the qualitative representation of women within the WUAs in addition to focusing on increasing their numerical strength?
3. Existing or potential legal and mandatory interventions enabling women to be at par with men in decision making on water sharing and management issues?
Summary of Responses
The query on gender equity in Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) elicited a wide range of responses from members. They emphasised that although women provide almost 70% of the labour in agriculture, they rarely get a chance to participate in decision-making. Respondents also deliberated on some of the legal, political, socio-cultural and capacity building constraints preventing women from becoming members of Water Users' Associations (WUAs), exercising their voting rights, contesting elections and being part of the Executive Committees.
As one of the main legal factors inhibiting women's participation in PIM, the group listed that women's lack of legal rights over land has long-term repercussions. This restricts their ability to control resources and access credit. To correct this imbalance, members suggested that all further land purchased be joint owned by both the husband and wife. They also recommended that all future participatory irrigation acts compulsorily include women as members and ensure they