UNDERSTANDING THE INSTITUTIONAL NATURE OF ISSUES THREATENING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN PAKISTAN: DISCUSSION AND FIELD-SCALE EVIDENCES

摘要

This paper argues that the challenges being confronted by the irrigationsystems of Pakistan are mainly institutional rather than technical. In doing so, the paper at first very briefly describes the salient features of the systemto develop a general understanding about its size and associated complexity.The existing institutional arrangements for irrigation management includingdescription of water rights and modes of cost recovery are presented toidentify the system weaknesses. The main threats to the irrigation systemare identified and an attempt has been made through discussion to trace thelinkage with the existing institutional regime. Based upon the discussion, itis clear that the performance of the irrigation system in Pakistan is mainlydue to the century-old institutional structure, incapable of meeting newefficiency-induced challenges. It was also observed that the system’s physicaldeteriorations, initial system design weaknesses and low cost recoveries werealso having significant bearings on the overall performance. The proposedmodel of reforms was analysed in the context of associated disparities. Thefield-scale evidences were explored through literature review to concludethat institutional reforms, if carefully and sincerely implemented, coupledwith necessary structural means are the way to ensure irrigation sustainability.