Institutional Analysis of Water Management on Communal Irrigation Systems in Ethiopia: The Case of Atsbi Wemberta, Tigray Region and Ada'a Woreda, Oromiya Region
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Date
2008-01
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A.A.U
Abstract
This study analyses the institutional and organizational arrangements of irrigation water
management and identifies the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in
managing communal irrigation schemes in the districts of Atsbi wemberta (Tigray region)
and Ada'a (Oromiya region), Ethiopia. Results are based on data collected from a survey of
169 groups (communities) and 22 scheme level focus group interviews. All tabias which have
irrigation projects that operated, in year 2006107 are included. Analysis of descriptive and
econometric methods are used. Analysis of qualitative information supplemented the
econometric results.
Our result reveals that, in Atsbi, over 221.1 ha of land, there are 14 irrigation schemes which
are used by 1855 beneficiary households. On the other hand, in Ada'a there are a total of 2059
irrigation water beneficiaries in 8 communal managed schemes, which irrigate 960.5 1ha of
land. Each irrigation scheme is a common property resource that is owned and managed by
the community. In both study areas, each scheme has its own water users association which is
administered by water users committee. The associations are local institutions which have a
basic character of authority and by-laws. In addition, water users form groups at each outlet
(block) level for administrative purposes, which are managed by group (block) leaders. They
are 94 ill Atsbi and 75 in Ada 'a. in each irrigation schemes, rotational irrigation is practiced
based on counting dates or complaints, but not based on the water need of plants.
The econometric results show that collective action is more effective in irrigation water users
of Atsbi than Ada'a. We also found evidence for all inverted V-shaped relationship between
Number of household beneficiaries and collective action. the findings also imply that
community irrigation water management can contribute to a more sustainable irrigation water
use and as a re5ull ill increasing agricultural production and productivity. Collective action
for irrigation water management may be more beneficial and more effective ill areas with
intermediate number of beneficiaries, in areas that are close to market access, in groups that
have longer years of experience in irrigation water use, groups with larger family sizes, in
communities with greater number of local organizations, and in schemes where there was
participation of beneficiaries during construction of the scheme.
Though women are found to be significantly involved in irrigation agriculture in male headed
households, the revenue generated frol11 agriculture is controlled by men. On the other hand
we found that the participation of female headed households at forum and leadership is very
low. However, the estimation result shows that less number of conflicts and violation of rules
are associated with high proportion of female household heads. This suggests policy
intervention is needed to encourage the participation of women in farm, forum and at
leadership level in ,water users association and in conflict resolution committee. In addition
effort should be made to change the ,wrong perception of the society towards gender
inequality.
Our evidence also shows that instead of higher level of education status, it is greater number
of provision of training which favors collective action. Thus, expansion of training for
beneficiary farmers by governmental and non-governmental organizations will have a positive
and a significant impact on increasing efficiency water use collectively. In communities that
are more remote from markets or have larger number of beneficiaries, private-oriented
approaches to resource management may be more effective. Access to formal credit and
extension programs have a positive significant impact on collective action. therefore,
emphasis should be given on availability of such institutional support services. the presence
of external organizations reduce local efforts to enforce the restricted rules, suggesting that
the roles of external organizations needs to be demand driven and complementary to local
inputs .
Generally, collective action in managing irrigation water functions well in both study woredas.
It is found that farm households have started to grow crops which were 1101 previously grown
in the areas. It was also found that it has a positive impact on their income as well as on the
living standard of their families. In addition, through time beneficiary farm households
depend more all the production from their irrigated fields, which enabled them to harvest
more than once a year. Therefore, as beneficiary farmers shift to high value but perishable
commodities, emphasis should be given to marketing extension, especially in facilitating
markets and marker linkages to farmers. Furthermore, through time the demand for
irrigation water increases among beneficiary farmers. Therefore, assigning of water rights
and strengthening organization and operation of WUAs will be very essential for further
efficient use of the common pool resource.
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Keywords
Communal Irrigation Systems, Water Management