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and decision-making is men`s business, even concerning issues where women have specialknowledge and interest (Wijk-Sijbesma 1998: 60). The responsibility for the project should beheld collectively by, for example, paying water fees. The field of agriculture and irrigation isvery often assumed to be male dominated although 80% of the staple food in South Asia andsub-Saharan Africa are produced by women. They contribute majorly to fighting foodinsecurity through their knowledge of crop production, local biodiversity, water resources andsoils. Women and men use water differently and have different priorities. Water is needed forvarious interests like “agriculture, domestic water supply and waste disposal, industrial wateruse, transport, energy and ecosystems” (Mjoli 1999: 60). While women use it for agriculture,domestic tasks, health and sanitation, men use it mainly for agriculture and livestock (IFAD2007: 4). In order to achieve food security though, it is crucial to provide water for domesticas well as productive use (IFAD 2007: 3). Also, when all different water interests of thecommunity members are considered in the project planning, the cost effectiveness andsustainability in water management increases (Thomas et al. 1997 in Mjoli 1999: 60).Nevertheless women were integrated in the category domestic water because it has alwaysbeen assumed as their `natural responsibility` although studies confirm that women areproductive farmers and their direct access to water increases the productivity of agriculture.Women and men do not have the same access to irrigation water due to land rights. Actuallyonly two per cent of the world’s private land is owned by women (UN WATER 2006: 4). Therights are usually given to men who are then legally allowed to irrigate the land. Hence, whiledomestic water is categorised as almost absolutely female, women are excluded in terms ofirrigation which denies women the role as producer and defines them as mothers andcaretakers. Consequently, gender inequality is even cemented (Ray/Boukerrou 2008). Theignorance of the productive role of women leads to many poor female farmers, food insecurityand marginalisation (IFAD 2007: 3). Therefore, it is necessary to provide land rights forwomen in order to give them access to water. In addition, this can result in access to otherresources, like financial services that support women in empowering themselves (IFAD 2007:3). Furthermore, researchers demand multiple-use water projects that address women`s needsmore effectively and include aspects like “training in technical aspects, management, literacy,confidence-building, leadership skills, and easy access to financial services and loans” (IFAD2007: 19).Due to the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) in the 1990s little money was availablefor the public sector. Therefore it was decided that it is too expensive and inefficient if the43