ROLE OF FARMERS' ORGANISATION IN IRRIGATION WATER MANAGEMENT-A CASE STUDY OF WESTERN GANDAK PROJECT IN NEPAL

Abstract

Over the last few decades, substantial investments have been made in Nepal for developing the irrigation infrastructure of the country. Yet the irrigation development is at the rudimentary stage and the net area irrigated is not more than forty five percent of the total irrigable area. Most of the existing irrigation systems, particularly managed by the existing irrigation systems, and managed by the agency have not functioned efficiently. This was due to an imbalance between the roles of government agencies and the farmers, in all phases of irrigation development including planning, design, operations, and maintenance. If the irrigator's role is increased in decision making of all these development phases, the result would be more satisfactory which is now widely accepted everywhere. In this context, currently there is keen interest in many developing countries in transferring responsibility for operating large publicly constructed irrigation system to farmer beneficiaries of the system. To examine the implications of such a shift. on the performance of a system and the conditions under which such transfers can- take place, a case study of west Gandak Irrigation system was undertaken, to document the cases and likely results of such transfer. The west Gandak Irrigation system -(WHIS)- in Nawaiparasi district of Western Nepal was purposively selected for the study. In this context, an attempt was made to study the "Role of farmers' organization in irrigation water Management: A case study of Western Gandak project in Nepal". The specific objectives of the study were (i) to study the government managed irrigation system and estimate governments costs (Per hectare of land actually irrigated for operation maintenance and management, under the previous system of -government control and under the new system. (ii)-to study the existing farmers organization and their organizational structure and role of farmers organization in management of irrigation system; (iii) to examine the irrigator's opinion about the new system of management, including its costs and benefits to them and estimate the contribution of irrigators-. -(iv) to suggest remedial measures for improvemen