Water Integrity Global Outlook 2016
Box 4.20 Trust and respect improve irrigation management The Waghad Medium Irrigation Project in the tribal area of Nashik in Maharashtra, India, demonstrated impressive increases in farmer output and income after farmers formed WUAs and took over the management of their irrigation system. Before 1990, when water distribution to 15,000 farmers from the Waghad Dam was managed by the Department of Irrigation, farmers at the tail end of the system received no water. Corruption was rampant and farmers had to bribe irrigation officials to get an allocation. Some were stealing water. Revenue was so low that the irrigation department had no incentive to maintain the system. In 1991 the farmers took action. Local NGOs encouraged farmers to involve themselves in decision-making and the operation and maintenance of the system, and the farmers took the irrigation department to court demanding improvements. Things began to change. Today there are 24 WUAs, nine lift irrigation user associations and a project-level association (PLA), which coordinates between the WUAs and the Department of Irrigation. Trust has been established, along with a consensus on water allocation rules. The system has robust monitoring and enforcement arrangements and sound financial management. The project has won numerous awards, and WUA members are regularly invited to lecture and conduct training sessions across India. Irrigation department revenue is 14 times higher than in 1990, while farmer income has increased almost 50-fold. Farmers now grow fruits and vegetables that require high levels of reliable water that they would not previously have considered. Participation in the WUAs has stayed consistently high (Pacific Institute, 2011).
Formation of a water users' association
PLAs become a mandatory feature in the Farmer Management Act
1991
2005
1990
2003
Until 1990s: corruption and distrust
Formation of a project-level association (PLA)
(developed by WIN)
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