Pakistan adopts PIM

The Pakistan government has unveiled plans to introduce participatory irrigation management into the worldís largest contiguous irrigation system. According to a policy decision announced in September 1995, the major canal commands of the Indus system will be managed by Area Water Boards (AWBs) controlled by a board of water users and government representatives. These AWBs would distribute water to the use associations within that command. At the provincial level, the existing provincial irrigation departments will be reconstituted as Provincial Irrigation and Drainage Authorities (PIDAs) providing technical support and oversight to the AWBs. The average command area of the AWBs would be about 600,000 hectares.

Participants to the Second National Seminar on PIM, held in Bhurban, Pakistan from October 1-5, 1995, discussed the implications of the new policy for introducing PIM at the local level. The seminar released a recommendation that irrigation water users (farmers) be fully represented on the management boards of the PIDAs and the AWBs. Arrangements for such representation should be made at the initial establishment of the PIDAs and AWBs. The specific recommendations of the seminar are given below:

The creation of (1) autonomous PIDAs with independent revenue and spending authority and (2) financially self-accounting AWBs, would provide a healthy context for the effective involvement of the water users in all levels of irrigation management. In order that the institutional arrangements of PIDAs and AWBs be consistent with the aims of participatory irrigation management (PIM), the following recommendations are offered:

1. Water user associations (WUAs) at the chak level, representing all water users (including women and tenants) should be formed. In many instances, these can be based upon the WUAs created under the OFWM program, but in other instances these will need to be created anew.

2. Water user organizations (WUOs) at the distributary or minor level, representing all WUAs, should be formed. These Organizations would collect abiana and enter into a contractual arrangement with the concerned Area Water Board for the provision of water and other irrigation support services.

3. The heads of all WUOs would be represented on the Area Water Board, either directly (if only a few WUOs), or through an elected sub-group of WUO heads. Eventually the WUO representatives should form a majority on the Area Water Boards. During the transition period while the WUOs are still being established, representatives of the water users would be nominated or elected.

4. At the provincial level, one farmer representative from each canal command (Area Water Board level) would serve on an oversight committee that would monitor the management of the PIDA and AWBs, and suggest improvements.

In the next issue of the INPIM Newsletter we will provide an update of Pakistan's new irrigation and drainage policies. In the meantime, interested readers may contact the INPIM coordinator for Pakistan, Mr. Mushtaq Gill, Director General Agriculture, Punjab Agriculture Department, 21 Aga Khan Road, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; Fax: (92-42) 636-6156