Organizational Change for Participatory Irrigation Management

farmers in water management”. This paper addresses this issue and illustrates a participatory
approach implemented in one of the irrigation schemes in Vietnam.
PARTICIPATORY IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT (PIM) IN VIETNAM
Current Situation of PIM Development
The PIM has been developed in Vietnam since 1980s by some projects funded by NGOs.
Especially there were projects of PIM formulated in Nghe An and Thanh Hoa provinces.
Models of water management organizations in irrigation schemes are basically formulated on
the basis of physical works – type and scale and the command area serviced by the irrigation
schemes. Practically, there are many forms of on-farm water management institutions such as
water management groups formulated by agricultural cooperatives, water users cooperatives
that are responsible for irrigation with the extent from “2 and up” cooperatives, water users
associations or water users advisory committee. Since 1995, there have been many water
management organizations with the participation of farmers at the farm level, established in
some provinces such as Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, Nghe An, and Thua Thien Hue. These
institutions have achieved a great success. In early 1999, MARD promulgated a decision to
set up PIM office in Vietnam.
In general, participation of farmers in water management in these institutions is relatively
similar to each other. Farmers are usually attended in meetings and discuss issues such as
operational regulations, water fee as well as electing the Management Board of the new
organization. Still, other important issues of the water management organization are stated in
its cooperative congress.
In regards to irrigation works supported by funding from international institutions in
some localities, besides activities mentioned above, farmers are actually participated in
technical and management training courses. Especially, projects supported through external
funding for upgrading and rehabilitation of existing irrigation works, has been involved in
farmer participation. The performance of these water management organizations is relatively
stable and more sustainable.
Currently, in Vietnam there are three models of on-farm water management
organizations, namely:
C Those formulated by competent agencies;
C Those formulated and established on the basis of discussion and agreement of farmers;
and
C Those developed by the agreement and consensus of farmers and incorporated with
competent institutional levels.
At present, the last model has dominated in many area of Vietnam.
Benefits Gained from the On-farm Water Management Model in Vietnam
The major benefits of this model are as follows:
a. To change the negative attitude of farmers and their dependency on outside support;
b. To pave the way for new institutional arrangements in managing irrigation schemes and
draw positive experiences for the extension of this model;
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