Organizational Change for Participatory Irrigation Management

emain as passive recipients of capital inputs and that active participation of farmers was
needed for proper functioning of these irrigation systems as well as to increase farm
productivity.
Several special projects were started to achieve better coordination and provision of new
input technology. These projects registered some success but lost momentum, as those did not
incorporate proper institutional building strategies, at the grassroots to mobilize farmer
participation, in water management and other activities. Subsequently, suitable participatory
models were evolved, involving user associations and farmers organizations (FOs) through
pilot projects. Most of such efforts have been linked with the rehabilitation of physical
structures. Some of these irrigation rehabilitation projects were also focusing on productivity
and equity issues, relating to water use. A conscious effort was made to train farmer leaders
in new settlement schemes to facilitate settler incorporation into the joint management process.
Further re-training and re-orientation of official cadres that interact with the farming
community were undertaken under these new programs.
FARMER ORGANIZATIONS UNDER
DIFFERENT MINISTRIES AND DEPARTMENTS
The Agrarian Services Department
As mentioned earlier, the small-scale village tanks numbering about 30,000 (1,500,000
acres) comes under the purview of the Department of Agrarian Services and at present the FOs
formed under these village tanks have been entrusted with responsibilities in managing water
distribution, O&M and even rehabilitation of tanks and irrigation canal system. The costs
involved are small and systems are technically not complex. The Department provides
technical guidance and other support services. Traditionally to the villagers had been looking
after these functions, fairly satisfactorily in the past. The FO now undertakes rehabilitation
contracts and meets 20 percent of the costs involved.
Irrigation Department
The Irrigation Department has the largest extent under irrigation schemes, especially
those, which are medium and large in size. The Irrigation Department manages major
irrigation systems numbering over 266 and covering an extent of approximately 250,000 ha.
The larger inter-provincial irrigation systems, which cover 37 schemes, with a total extent of
157,000 ha are under the Integrated Management of Settlement Program (INMAS) of the
Ministry, which produce 30 percent of the paddy in the country. FOs (over 1,175) at
distributory canal level, federated to 30 main system level organizations engage in participatory
system management. Improved efficiency, reduced costs with improved officer/ farmer
relationships have resulted from these developments. Amendments to the Irrigation Ordinance
in 1994 gave legal backing to these institutional arrangements.
The prime objective of this participatory management program under INMAS is the
improvement of productivity of irrigation systems and uplifting of the economic conditions of
the farming community. The main features of this policy are the formations of farmers’
associations, strengthening them and transfer part of management responsibility. A time-bound
action plan has been prepared for transferring the management functions to farmers. In
addition to above programs, there are 671 FOs to cover medium-scale irrigation projects. In
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