Impact of irrigation management transfer on the performance of irrigation systems: a review of selected Asian experiences

摘要

During the last two decades, transferring the responsibility for irrigation management from government agencies to farmer associations has been a dominant component of irrigation-sector policy in several Asian countries. This paper synthesises the most significant evidence available to date about the impacts of management transfer programs. The analysis is based primarily on the results of case studies conducted by the International Irrigation Management Institute (IWMI) in four south and south-east Asian countries: Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Indonesia. Performance is assessed from the perspective of the financial viability of irrigation systems, the quality of irrigation operations and maintenance, the physical sustainability of irrigation infrastructure, and agricultural productivity per unit of land and water. Trends in key performance indicators before and after irrigation management transfer (IMT), and performance levels schemes with and without IMT are compared. Results are mixed. Following transfer there has been a statistically significant reduction in government financing of the operations and maintenance of irrigation systems, but water-user associations are making only a modest contribution towards maintenance. This raises some concern about the longer-term sustainability of the irrigation schemes. More recent evidence suggests that high transaction costs implementing IMT programs have slowed the pace of the management reforms in Asia. The paper concludes by specifying some essential conditions that should prevail for IMT programs to succeed.