Participatory Irrigation Management in Andhra Pradesh : India

1. A presentation on Participatory Irrigation Management in Andhra Pradesh : India

2. Problems & reforms

3. Problems in Irrigation Sector • Inadequate allocation of O&M. • Low water rate recovery • Deteriorated condition of the system. • Poor drainage. • Unscientific use of water • Lack of adequate and reliable water supply • Lack of incentives for saving water. • Gap Ayacut –25% to 40%. • No measuring devices

4. Poor services Farmer dissatisfaction Poor O&M The Vicious Cycle

5. Participatory Irrigation Management An alternative !

6. Rationale • Distribution of water among users with equitable and reliable supply • Adequate maintenance of irrigation systems • Efficient and economic utilization of water to optimize agriculture production • Ensure ecological balance involving farmers • Inculcate sense of ownership • Water budgeting and implementation of operational plan

7. WaterUsersAssociations Brief background

8. MCMEMBERS MC MEMBERS Max 8+1 Min - Max 4+1 Min 1+1 Elects Elects Chairman President President GB of PC GB of DC TCs Elect Elects Elects WUA SET-UP with 5 years tenure Original setup PC MCMEMBERS DC Max 10+1 Min 4+1 = + WUA 4 to 10 TCs TC1 TC2 TC3 TC4 TC5 TC6 TC7 TC8 TC9 TC10 Farmers (Land holders)

9. Reform process(growth of PIM ) • 1996 Diagnostic white paper Consultations on PIM • Farmers • At project & district level. • Irrigation department. • NGOs. • Political parties. • April’97 APFMIS act • April’97 Water charges Increased • Jun -Nov 97 Elections to WUAs

10. continued • Feb 2001 Apportioning of actual water cess collected for O & M • June 2002 WUAs completed their first five year tenure • Sept 2002 Amendments were brought to the Act. WUAs were made continuous bodies • October 2003 Election for the WUAs in 13 districts were held • April 2005 Elections to the WUAs in 7 districts and NSP ayacut area of Krishna and Guntur districts were held

11. Capacity building

12. Main Objectives • Water Use Efficiency through participatory model • Change in cropping pather, on-farm water management and promotion of SRI (Paddy) method of cultivation. • Modernizations of structures and maintenance through WUAs • Water budget – conjunctive use of Ground Water and Surface water. • Water release schedules, adoption of volumetric /rotation systems • Sustaibinbility of WUAs/FOs and Networking.

13. Capacity building Strategy: • Demand Driven and as per the assessment • Three tracks approach • De-centralisation of management and locations • Regional centers and Farmers Field School • Theme based resource groups and networks • Professional support and facilitation from WALMTARI • Prioritization of projects

14. The ongoing approach Track – I • Attitude and Behavioural training, • Trainings specific to stakeholders • PR & communication skills, • inter-personal relations, Target group • Irrigation Engineers / Agriculture extension officials

15. WUA - Awareness Programmes • District level sadassus • Regional Sadassus • State level conventions • Massive training programmes covering T.C. members also • Publication of district level & State level News letters • Regularly circulated every month including MLAs, MPs and district libraries

16. Farmers training

17. Activities of WUAs • Walk-through Surveys for diagnosis of irrigation systems • General Body meetings & MC meetings • Water Management & water budgeting • Resolving disputes among farmers • Joint Azmoish for water tax demand • O & M works with collective participation • Maintenance of Accounts • Financial & Social Auditing • Training & motivation

18. Activities of WUAs(contd) Walk-through Surveys & discussions

19. Activities of WUAs(contd) Execution of works by farmers before after

21. The Virtuous Cycle Farmers satisfaction betterwater rates Improved O &M Higher Incomes Good Irrigation Higher Yields Reduced disputes

22. Achievements in PIM

23. Positive Impact of PIM • Sense of ownership • Reduced irrigation disputes • farmers took up MR and O& M works as per necessity and choice. • Bridging gap ayacut of 10.00 lakh acres • Yield increased by 10 - 15 % by earlier transplantation. • Relief from submersion in delta area due • Capacity building and Empowerment in decision making and execution of works. • Water management

24. Areas requiring further attention • WUAs to broaden their activities without limiting to only execution of works • To enable the WUAs to comply with the statutory responsibilities like • maintenance of records and Accounts, • conducts of financial Audit, • organizing GB / MC meetings, etc., • Measures required to prevent contractor like attitude in execution of works by the WUA Presidents. • To make the WUAs concentrate primarily on water management. • Federating WUAs

25. Areas requiring further attention - contd • Measures to prevent Presidents acting as sole monarch resulting in lack of transparency in the activities • Some WUAs being too large (8,000 acres above), resulting in administrative difficulties with unwieldy number of farmers for convening GB meetings and taking decisions • Measures to prevent misuse of funds • Whether the tenure of 5 years is too long a period resulting in showing complacency by the individuals particularly Presidents.

26. Items to be focused in further Reforms • From Works to Water Management • Modern Agriculture technology and Cropping pattern • More Accountability • Vice-President as joint A/C holder • More Transparency with broad-based MC • Increasing TCs at WUA level • Making the GB as MC at DC & PC level • Increasing minimum No. of WUAs in DCs and minimum No. of DCs in PCs • Redelineation of the WUAs with large ayacut

27. STRENGTHENING WUA MOVEMENTRevised set upand Amendments

28. Changes in WUA set up • Revised Set-Up • WUA to be a continuous body • 12 TCs in Major & Medium sector WUA • 6 TCs in Minor WUA • 1/3rd of TC members retire once in every 2 years. • Vice-President post is newly introduced. • Term TC members 6 yrs ( with variable tenures during the first cycle) President 2 yrs Vice President 2 yrs

29. MC of PC MC of WUA MC of DC Elects Elects Elects Elects Elects Elects TC1 TC2 TC3 TC4 TC5 TC6 TC7 TC8 ……………TC12 Revised WUA SET-UP( Major Irrigation) Indirect Election Chairman Vice Chirman President Vice President Indirect Election Indirect Election President Vice President Direct Election Farmers (Land holders)

30. Chirman Vice Chiarman President Vice President MC of PC MC of WUA Elects Elects Elects Elects TC1 TC2 TC3 TC4 TC5 TC6 TC7 TC8 ……………TC12 Revised WUA SET-UP( Medium Irrigation) Indirect Election Indirect Election Direct Election Farmers (Land holders)

31. President Vice President MC of WUA Elects Elects Revised WUA SET-UP( Minor Irrigation) Indirect Election Direct Election TC1 TC2 TC3 TC4 TC5 TC6 Farmers (Land holders)

32. Composition of FOs and Amendments Cont.. • Broad based MCs • In a Distributory Committee/ Project Committee • Minimum members – 5 • In order to form sub committees • Disqualification • for non conduct of Audit • General body meetings • Formation of sub committees

33. Other Important Amendments • Focus shifted from Works to Water management • Appointment of CA (Agri) • Vice President as convener of water management sub committee • Tail end farmers represented either as President or Vice President • Encouraging modernization of agriculture • Maintenance of feeder channels in MI tanks are additional functions of the WUAs. • Government to prescribe incentives and disincentives to the farmers organisations based on their performance.

34. Redelineation of FOs • Water Users Associations • Major Sector Based on hydraulic basis The Max range of Ayacut 1,000 - 4000Acres. • Medium Sector Based on hydraulic basis The Max range of Ayacut 1000- 2500 Acres. • Minor Sector Total Ayacut under the tank.

35. Revised System of Election • Simplified election procedure in both procedure and time frame. • TC members are to be elected directly by farmers. • TC members have to elect President and Vice-President of WUA. • WUA Presidents have to elect President and Vice-President of DC. • DC Presidents have to elect Chairman and Vice-Chairman of PC.

36. Election for the WUAs in 13 districts were held during October 2003 Elections to the WUAs in 7 districts and NSP ayacut area of Krishna and Guntur districts were held during April 2005 72 % of the WUAs got their managing committees elected unanimously during the elections conducted in April 2005. Present stage of election

37. Co-option of members of PR Institutions and Public Representatives • As water being common need it is decided to co-opt the members of PR institutions and Public Representatives into the MC of FO • The co-option will be • Minor WUA : Two Gram Panchayat members (one male & one female) • Major WUA : No co-option • DC : Mandal Presidents • PC(Med) : Mandal Pres, MLAs and MPs • PC(Maj) : MLAs, MPs and ZP chiar persons • It is decided to have more concentration on water management. • WUAs will execute the works up to one lakh with ploughed back water tax • Works more than one lakh will be executed by the dept. duly calling tenders

38. Thank you