Sustainability of Small Scale Irrigation Schemes: A Case Study of Nedhi Gelan Sedi Small Scale Irrigation in Deder Woreda, Eastern Oromia
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Date
2011-04
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Irrigation development has been identified as an important tool to stimulate economic growth and ru ral
deve lopment, and is co nsidered as a cornerstone of food security and poverty reduction in Ethiopia. While
a lot of effort is being exerted towards irrigation development, little attempt is being made toward the
Sllstainability of already constructed schemes. This study is an attempt to show whether already
constructed scheme is sustainable or not, in the case of Ned hi Gelan Sedi SS I scheme in Eastern Oromia
Region, Deder Di strict, which was selected purpos ive ly. Therefore, the major concern of this study is to
identify Sllstainability of the scheme from socio-cultural, environmental, physical, fin ancial, insti tuti onal
and community empowerment aspect .To realize these objectives, structured househo ld survey
questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, group discussions, fi eld observations and literature were used.
For household survey questi onnaires a total of 88 sampled households were randomly selected.
Phys ical stability, efficiency of the scheme, environmental protection, productivity, equity, coll ective
action system resilience and re levance are those categories ' that a re se lected to ind icate practices under
which we will feel confident that the system should continue to exi st and to function, at least for timespan
of20-30 years. Categories are further expressed by arou nd 36 indicators. By using the computed Ves
or No response of the sampled household, rated scale of each category was calculated from rated scale of
indicators. Finally, average va lue of all categories was taken to be the sustainability index of the scheme.
The study indicates that, the approach of intervent ion was not palt icipatory. The communities did not
participate during study and construction period and no handing over of the project to the community.
Elected committees were not representative of all vill ages, and at this ti m~ water distribution, mass
mobil ization for maintenance and confl ict resolutions were handled by traditi onal water leader Malaqa
that are limited in their own vill age. Equali ty in water distribut ion is non-existence. Even if IF AD did the
demonstration, the resu lt was not sati sfactory. Land scarcity is number one problem in the area. Siltation
of head work and damage of col umn of flume is also a seri es issue that needs immediate solut ion.
Watershed management must be practiced in the area. 92 percent of sampled households are not paid and
will ing to pay operation and maintenance costs, water fee costs and project recovery costs, which show
weakness of financial viabil ity of the proj ect.
As a resul t, the key fi ndi ngs of the study reveal that the sustai nability index of the scheme was 1.31 which
shows value approach to unsustainable condition, an outcome of lack of equitable resource distri bution,
which create lack of co llective action towards the scheme sustainabili ty issues, especially for operation
and maintenances that harm stabi lity of the physical capital by minimizing the efficiency of the scheme,
coupled with low protective action of the environment, aggravate the problem and fi nally systems are no
longer to deli ver their benefit and the people are also no longer to devote necessary efforts to key
activities and sustainabili ty of the system become under questi on even for this generation.
The supports from IFAD would have been more rewarding, if it is coupled with improvement of the
condition of physical stabili ty of the scheme with maintenance and establ ishment of representative WUA.
Moreover, to improve the economic and environmental sustainability of small scale-i rrigation schemes,
in stitutional support (input supply, output marketing and cred it serv ices), trai ning of farmers on improved
crop and water management issues, regu lar supervision and monito ring of scheme activ ities are crucial.
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Keywords
Small Scale Irrigation