Development and management of large rice-based irrigation systems: Philippine scenario

摘要

Current irrigation development in the Philippines stands at 45 percent of the irrigable area and this is short of the threshold for reaching rice self-sufficiency. The tight financial situation that the government finds itself in has necessitated pruning the annual irrigation development programme. Programme priority, in fact, has shifted to system rehabilitation projects with new construction focused on small-investment small-scale irrigation systems only. Experience shows that major rehabilitation,although effective in checking system deterioration and dysfunction, fails to improve irrigation performance and services. In response to this experience, the irrigation agency is focused on improving water availability, allocation and regulation as a special part of its irrigation projects. This innovation is intended to address the principal causes of low cropping intensity: low and dwindling water supply and inequitable and wasteful water distribution. Part of the advocated irrigation sector reformis the release by the irrigation agency to the irrigators' associations of stewardship over sections of public systems. This has the twin objectives of expanding farmers' participation and downsizing system offices, both sides benefiting from resultant financial rewards. Monetary incentives received by irrigators associations in taking over system management represent the driving force that keeps them supportive of system policies. Insufficient collection of irrigation service fees (55±5 percent) keepsfunding for system restoration inadequate, resulting in suboptimal maintenance and repairs. Deterioration of water availability and irrigation services ensues from repetition of such a situation, making farmers more unwilling to pay fees. This leads toa devastating cyclic phenomenon in irrigation operations that mere system restoration cannot break. Only major rehabilitation with an enhanced irrigation package is likely to succeed. Irrigation modernization in the country has started to move forward alongside the implementation of institutional and policy reforms in the irrigation sector. These reforms are intended to elevate the operating performance of the irrigation agency and irrigation systems as essential conditions to the rice self-sufficiencythrust. A particular reform measure adopted is the implementation of a rationalization plan for the irrigation agency that balances irrigation service delivery with agency financial stability.