PIM in Nepal: A Comment

Recently I had the chance to read Report No. 14 from the IIMI series on ``Locally Managed Irrigation" entitled ``Management Turnover in the West Gandak Irrigation System, Nepal", by V.S. Mishra and D.J. Molden. I would like to call your attention to several key features and findings of that study which may be of interest in your efforts in promoting farmer participation in irrigation.

Construction activities from the 8,700 ha Gandak system was completed in 1979. The organizational design was to have water user groups (WUGs) at the 50 ha block level and then Federations of four blocks (200 ha). In reality, the WUG never materialized and remain only as names on paper (a well-known story in many countries).

The need to reverse the deteriorating situation was recognized by the Government of Nepal in the early 1990s. The strategy pursued was to develop a WUA that represented the entire command area. A draft constitution called for a four tiered organization based on hydrological boundaries. The WUA formation lasted about seven months. The IIMI paper provides detailed information on the performance of the system before and after transfer. The paper concluded: 

``Several features of management turnover of atWest Gandak have been unique, at least in Nepal."

``The entire WUA was formed in one organizing effort. This is much different from previous approaches where groups were formed first at the tertiary level, then only after those became strong organizations were they formed at the next tier, and so on. These typically never reached an apex organization for the system."

``Initial civil works efforts focused on bringing the main system under control, as opposed to focusing on tertiary level improvement. Farmers quickly responded to this increased supply through their own organizing efforts and maintenance of tertiary subsystems."

The success of this experience in Nepal is certainly unique in the Asia region where the model for the formation of WUA's has been to start at the grass-roots level. I fully endorse the focus on the main system improvement to get quick results and then address farmers' participation at the lower levels.

- Herve Plusquellec, The World Bank

Herve Plusquellec
The World Bank
1818 H St., NW
Washington, DC20433
Fax: +1 202-552-3309
email: hplusquellec@worldbank.org