Pakistan

A national seminar on Irrigation Associations for Participatory Management was held from October 6-11, 1997 in Lahore, Pakistan. The seminar was organized by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) in Japan, and co-sponsored by INPIM-Pakistan. A report of the meeting will be given in the next edition of this Newsletter.

For further information, please contact Mushtaq A. Gill, INPIM Board Member, Pakistan

Albania

In Albania two of the seven Water Enterprise offices were damaged during the turmoil of March 1997, but no damage was done to the rehabilitated and handed-over irrigation schemes. This happy fact demonstrates that placing responsibility for O&M in the hands of farmers really does work.

A beginning has been made to organize the small traditional irrigation schemes (20-60 ha) primarily in the mountainous areas. The existing informal Water User Association (WUA), are federating into umbrella organizations that cover an entire watershed. Our intention is to start with a Pilot area, and then to encourage the new organization to take on more tasks than irrigation and drainage, for instance infrastructure (rural access roads).

In the context of the large-scale irrigation systems being rehabilitated under a World Bank financed credit, training for project trainers is taking place every Wednesday through discussion as well as training modules. These modules are guidelines for promoters, and irrigation extensionists to transmit to the members of the Executive Councils of the WUAs.

For further information, please contact Ylli Dede, INPIM Board Member, Albania

India

In order to give impetus to the implementation of the PIM Programme, a letter has been addressed by Secretary of Water Resources to the Chief Secretaries of States requesting them to take up a number of steps. Excerpts are given here:

I am writing this letter to bring to your attention the new paradigms being evolved in the sector of irrigation management in the country. The ideas have emerged as a result of intensive discussions in National, State and Project level deliberations in which farmers, officials, NGOs and national and international experts have participated. In January, 1997 the Second National Conference on Participatory Irrigation Management was held which went beyond reiterating the principles of PIM and examined important issues which should be tackled to give further impetus to the Programme. I am enclosing a copy each of pre-conference publication and proceedings of the conference for your perusal.

The Planning Commission for the first time appointed a Working Group on Participatory Irrigation Management to recommend how it should be operated in the IX Five Year Plan. The Working Group has recommended that at least ten per cent of the area in the irrigation commands should be brought under PIM during the IX Plan and 50% by the end of X Five Year Plan.

Drawing upon the recommendations of the First and Second National Conference on PIM held in June, 1995 and January, 1997, International Seminar on PIM held in May, 1997 and recommendations of the Working Group which finalized its report in April 1997, I would strongly urge your government to initiate the following measures:

1. Appoint under your Chairmanship a broad based Working Group on PIM which would provide a forum for sharing ideas and experiences within and outside government and work out plans for development of PIM. This was suggested by my predecessor's d.o. letter of even number dated 19.7.l995. Some States have already set up the Working Group.

2. Appoint a senior officer, not below the rank of Joint Secretary in the State Government, to coordinate the activities relating to PIM. The name and designation of the officer may please be communicated to me so that the Ministry can remain in touch with him/her.

3. It will be useful to set up pilot projects in various areas of the State. With an arrangement to provide independent feed back on their operations, the working group can decide on corrective action through modification of existing regulations, procedures and instructions.

4. A well thought out plan for training will be required to upgrade the knowledge and skills of the staff of Irrigation Department, Command Area Development and farmer.

5. Spreading awareness about PIM and motivation of ID staff and farmers would require holding of seminars at district and block levels and employment of mass media. Experience has shown that study tours of successful projects are the best motivating factor for convincing the farmers as well the staff of irrigation agency about the benefits of PIM. The Ministry will keep the concerned officer au fait about such successful projects.

6. There would be definite need to provide incentives to farmers to motivate them to take over responsibilities hitherto reserved for public domain. You may give priority to rehabilitation of the system to be transferred under PIM to farmers' organizations and also provide adequate financial assistance to farmers' organizations for discharging responsibility for O&M as well as for collection of water rate.

7. Non-Governmental Organizations can make useful contribution in community organizing, implementing certain selected projects, training and awareness creating.

8. Amendment to Irrigation Acts of the States is also necessary to give legal status to farmers' associations. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has already passed a new law to establish farmers' associations. A copy of the Act, its rules and election manual have already been sent to Secretaries of Departments of Irrigation and Command Area Development of your State....We are shortly going to circulate a model guidelines for amendment of irrigation acts to all the States..."

Andhra Pradesh (India)

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has been actively pursuing the objectives of PIM. After enacting a separate legislation for facilitating PIM in the State, rules and regulations were also framed and elections for WUA's held.

A total of 10,110 associations at minor and canal levels each with a command area of about 500 ha. have been constituted. Election to these associations have been held for electing President and other members of the executive bodies. The Government has announced an incentive of Rs. 50,000 ( US $1400 ) per association as a one-time management grant.

The implementation programme is being closely monitored by the State Government. The Chief Minister is deeply involved. On 21-22 July, 1997 the State Government held a conference on PIM in which officials of field level of different departments concerned with irrigated agriculture were invited to orient them to the new paradigm of management. The State Government has brought out a Manual on PIM for the guidance of agency staff.

For further information, please contact Mr. L. K. Joshi, INPIM Board Member, India

Mexico

Editor's Note: Since Mexico was one of the premier country cases of adopting PIM as the focus of irrigation policy, it is useful to keep in touch with the progress of PIM in that country. Our INPIM Board Member, Dr. Jose Trava, sends us this update:

The good news: The surface area transferred by July 1997 is 2.941 million hectares which represents 91.9% of Irrigation Districts area. There are 426,000 users organized in 389 WUAs which in turn have created nine Users' Federations.

Conveyance efficiencies have been improved from 61.6% during the 1989-1990 season to 64.0% during the 1993-1994 season. This represents a water saving of 744 million cubic meters in one year, which in turn would allow irrigation of an additional 74,400 hectares. The output value for such an area is worth US$152.4 million/year!

In spite of inflation problems (35% during 1995) the transferred districts are meeting their own costs without government subsidy. The level of self-sufficiency has remained close to 100%.

The Mexican Institute for Water Technology (IMTA) is introducing modern irrigation technology at the farm level (e.g., pipe for small irrigation canal networks) supported with surplus money from the WUAs. In the irrigation districts of Yaqui Valley, El Carrizo, El Fuerte, Delicias and Lerma, during the 1995-1996 season alone, the WUAs have contributed roughly US$300,000 to help these programs get implemented.

The National Users Federation (ANUR) represents the WUAs at the national level. ANUR has recently signed an Agreement with the government under which the Rehabilitation of the Irrigation Districts will be accelerated through mutual participation of both government and WUAs. The users will now pay 50% of the costs incurred whereas the government will pay for the rest without any reimbursement. US$110 million should be invested during 1997 from which the users will be re-paying US$55 million.

Now the bad news: There is a lot of inconsistency in the information provided by different sources, and quantitative data is very difficult to obtain. However, there are some concerns that I have heard which may have some validity:

Some people are saying that, since the creation of the Associations the reservoirs are now being depleted without taking into consideration the hydrology of the systems. In other words, the WUAs are being accused of using more water than whatever is advisable as a function of the physical characteristics of the system. (I really don't know if this is true; we have to take into consideration that Mexico has passed through an intense drought during the last three years).

How about the use of machinery? Well, some people say that the WUAs have been able to purchase a lot of new equipment and with this they are carrying on 100% efficient maintenance programs. Furthermore, it is also said that in many Associations the problem of "deferred" maintenance no longer exists. But, on the other hand, there are also reports that the WUAs are not paying amortization costs on their new machinery, and will also not be able to replace the machines that were given to them as part of the agreement when the transfer took place. Thus in a few more years a complete collapse of the maintenance programs is to be expected. (The estimated value of the new machinery purchased by WUAs is in the order of US$ 15 million).

And the measurement of water ? Water is currently being measured only at the points of delivery from the government agency to the WUAs. But if we are to evaluate the overall use of agricultural water or its productivity, measurement of water at farm level should be implemented. Without this information, efficiencies and/or productivity may only be roughly approximated.

- Dr. Jose Trava, INPIM Board Member, Mexico