Organizational Change for Participatory Irrigation Management

Earlier Organizing and PIM Efforts of NIA
The historical background of NIA' s organizing efforts and Irrigation Management
Transfer (IMT) development in NIS is summarized in Table 5. Organization of farmers in the
late 1960s and the 1970s was primarily for better water management and increase crop
production.
Table 5. Historical Background of NIA' s Organizing Farmers and
IMT Development in NISs
Inclusive
Years
1968-71 NIA implemented the
ADB-assisted water
management project
in 8 NISs in 8 RIOs
1971-80 NIA implemented
under FAO-assisted
projects (New NISs)
the component
farmers' training and
organization
1980-86 NIA pilot tested the
organization of IAs in
30 marginal NISs
(26,000 ha) under
NISIP-ICOP
Milestones Features Lessons on IA Participation
Expansion of the
ICOP to FIOP
MRIIS (or MRMP)
started the Lateral
Turnover Program
(LTOP)
Parallel to these
NIA' s regional ACDs
implemented organizing
and training
programs in few NISs
Organization of farmers
at rotational units (farm
level) for improved
crop production
(compact farming) and
rotational irrigation
Extension Approach:
Program was used as
medium for improved
farming technology to
better realize the
benefits of irrigation
projects.
Organization of FIGs
and FIAs at portions of
laterals.
Community Organization
Approach:
Under MTP participation
in rehab was used
as strategy and thereafter,
assumption of
O&M of NISs or part
thereof based on negotiated
contract.
Introduction of shared
management.
Scheme
LTOP was initiated to
provide some incentives
to participating
IAs in complementation
with the program
under FAPs.
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Water management and improvement
production is better if
farmers are organized.
For better irrigation and dissemination
of farming technologies,
farmers must be
organized and trained.
Organization and training raised
the consciousness and skills of
farmers on irrigation and crop
production.
From smaller groupings farmers
should be organized at higher
level for better coordination of
water.
In the absence of policies,
guidelines and incentives,
organized beneficiaries tend to
depend on projects, hence, lack
of ownership and sustainability.
Strategy of farmers participa-tion
in rehab installs ownership of
project.
Bottom-up organizing approach
combined with strategies for
socio-technical coordination and
incentives (ISF share), is effective
in building cohesive and
functional IAs and their
participation in O&M.
The program implication of
manpower displacement served
as threat for NIA personnel. In
the case of LTOP in MRIIS, the
program caused redundancy of
some personnel, hence, higher
O&M costs.
While the MTP motivated IAs,
the program met some resistance
due to displacement issue.
... To be continued