Press Release :: Empowering poor farmers is the key to tackling rural poverty, new research demonstrates

P R E S S R E L E A S E

Empowering poor farmers is the key to tackling rural poverty,
new research demonstrates

22nd October 2003

A recent study by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) shows that the transfer of irrigation schemes from government agencies to farmer organizations - rather than eradicating rural poverty - has in many cases aggravated existing inequities.

In an assessment of two transfer programs in India, researchers have concluded that the exclusion of poor farmers from information and decision-making is the main factor undermining the schemes' attempts to reduce rural poverty. The research - drawing on studies of the Gujarat Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) program and the Andhra Pradesh Farmer's Management of Irrigation Systems (APFMIS) - found that larger farmers tended to dominate committee meetings, and as a consequence had more control over government grant allocation, and site selection for repair and rehabilitation work.

The findings have important implications for the future direction of irrigation transfer programs throughout the poor south, where - driven largely by financial pressures - many governments are implementing Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) programs. IMT involves the transfer of full or partial management responsibility for irrigation systems to farmers organized into Water User Associations (WUAs).

The study, conducted by IWMI and the Gujarat Institute of Development Research (GIDR), with support from the Ford Foundation and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), surveyed 700 landowning and tenant farmers from seven WUAs in two states, as well as 67 WUA committee members.

"Our research suggests that even if IMT programs contain all the right ingredients on paper - such as strong voting rights for farmers irrespective of farm size - poor farmers are less informed on the whole about their rights and so tend to lose out on many of the potential benefits. Better inclusion of the poor in information and decision-making would result in more sustainable advances in poverty alleviation," argues Dr. Tushaar Shah, Leader of the IWMI-Tata Water Policy Program, an initiative that introduces research knowledge into the policy planning process.

To ensure IMT becomes more pro-poor, and to guarantee the viability of WUAs, researchers encourage policy makers to take steps to ensure that poor farmers participate equally in the decision-making processes. These include raising awareness and access to information, and making the election of WUA committees - usually favoring the village elite - more competitive and transparent. Monitoring participation in WUA activities and decision- making against a reliable and easily available indicator of poverty - farm size - is the key to evaluating equity trends over time.

The study has outlined a five-point strategy for policy makers:

Clearly define the rights of farmers - By law, farmers have equal decision-making power within the WUA regardless of farm size.
Raise awareness, especially among poor farmers - To ensure farmers understand the IMT process and their rights and responsibilities.
Reform the election process within WUAs - Election of new presidents and committee members should be vote-based rather than consensus-based, to promote competition and increase transparency and equity.
Monitor, by farm size, participation in the WUA - Research showed farm size to be a reliable indicator of poverty. Monitoring over time provides a good indication of equity trends and is a prerequisite for ensuring pro-poor IMT.
When defining decision-making rights within the WUA, differentiate between farmers who use canal water and those who rely on alternative water sources, such as groundwater - The management of canal irrigation does affect the availability of alternative water sources, such as groundwater, and hence the farmers who depend on them, but obviously not to the same degree as farmers who depend solely on canal water.

For more information read 'Pro-Poor Irrigation Management Transfer?' issue 6 of the Water Policy Briefing series (www.iwmi.org/waterpolicybriefing)

For questions and comments related directly to the research contact Dr. Tushaar Shah on +91-2692-29311-13 or e-mail t.shah@cgiar.org

For general information contact Jack Durrell by e-mail j.durrell@cgiar.org

Background

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is one of the 16 Future Harvest Centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The institute fields a team of some 50 senior researchers with significant international experience, supported by national research staff and a corps of some 20 postdoctoral scientists, mostly from developing countries. IWMI is headquartered in Sri Lanka with regional offices in India, South Africa and Thailand. All IWMI research is done with local partners. The institute's outputs are public goods that are freely available for use by all actors in water management and development. IWMI Research Reports, data and other publications can be downloaded from the IWMI website (www.iwmi.org) or received free of charge from the IWMI publications office.

The IWMI-Tata Water Policy Program is an initiative supported by the Sir Ratan Tata Trust, and IWMI. The Program presents new perspectives and practical solutions derived from the wealth of research done in India on water resources management. Its objective is to help policy makers at the central, state and local levels address their water challenges by translating research findings into practical policy recommendations.

The Policy Program's web site (www.iwmi.org/iwmi-tata) promotes the exchange of knowledge on water resources management within the research community, and between researchers and policy makers in India.

The Water Policy Briefing Series presents new perspectives and solutions to water problems in the poor South. Each briefing is based on peer-reviewed research that challenges policy makers and planners to think differently about the way water is managed for agriculture. To view current issues of the series visit www.iwmi.org/waterpolicybriefing.