Author: Promod Kumar Adhikari
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no. HS-91-14
Year: 1991
Academic Program: Human Settlement (HS)
Type: Thesis (M.Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1987
Examination Committee: Karl E. Weber (Chairperson); Harvey Demaine,, (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: It is contended that most of the farmer managed irrigation systems are operating quite smoothly as compared to the government managed irrigation systems. The major objective of this study, thus, is to determine, whether it is a promising approach to hand over government constructed small and medium scale irrigation systems to user farmers for operation and main tenance. To meet this objective, a comparative study of two small scale irrigation systems, one managed by user farmers (FMIS) and the other managed by the government field agency (AMIS), was conducted. The findings show that FMIS respondents are relatively more satisfied with the overall system management than the AMIS respondents. A high degree of participation of respondents in canal maintenance and repair was found in the FMIS. AMIS respondents expressed their willingness to take on operation and maintenance works to secure smooth functioning of the system. The opinion of the agency officials was positive towards handing over of the small and medium scale AMISs to the farmer users. Participation of user farmers in operation and maintenance of the FMIS was found to be obligatory, and, hence, small farmers and tenant farmers had to contribute more than their share to system operation and maintenance as compared to the big land owners. Recommendations for better management of irrigation systems include protecting tenant farmers under the Tenancy Act, selection of water leaders from among user farmers, sharing of agricultural inputs by tenants and land ┬╖owners, promotion of cash crop cultivation, and proper repair and desilting of main canals.
Scholarship Donor(s): Government of France
Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science
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