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| Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems in Nepal - Pithuwa Irrigation System |
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Reference |
| Pradhan, Prachanda (----), "Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems in Nepal", (Prachanda Pradhan is Head, Nepal Field Operations of International Irrigation Management Institute (IIMI), Khatmandu, Nepal) |
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Introduction to the Institution |
| Prior to 1973, the lack of water within the current command area of Pithuwa located in Chitwan district, allowed farmers to grow only maize. In 1970, farmers were given Rs 15,000 under the minor irrigation development program to constructan irrigation system in Pithuwa. sing voluntary labour, and the fund, he main canal was dug. owever, the main canal did not function properly and the people again approached the government. Finally, department of irrigation, hydrology and meterology (DIMH) undertook the construction of Pithuwa irrigation project in 1973. After DIMH completed the project, irrigation water was released. At first, water distribution was laissez-faire. "Might is Right" prevailed in the sytem resulting in conflicts and feuds over water share.
The one prominent farmer took the intiative to organise the farmers on Brach 14 into a committee, which formulated rules for water allocation and distribution along branch 14. With farmer participation in committee activitiesactivities, conflicts over water sharing along the branch canal decreased in a short time. Other branches started to follow the example set by the farmers of Branch 14. Eventually, all the branch farmers created branch committees for water allocation and distribution. |
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Coverage of the Institution |
| Command area of Pithua located in Chitwan district. |
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Rules for Management
of the Institution |
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(a) Boundary Rules |
| Spatial: Command area of Pithua located in Chitwan district. Social: Farmers under the command area of the canal. |
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(b) Governance
rules |
| A general assmbly consiting of all the farmers in the Pithuwa irrigation system has formed. The farmers meet once a year n June at a central location to discuss the fillowing issues; (i) general principles for managing water in the system (ii) electing the secretary in the system. (iii) approving or disapproving the accounts of the system presented by the secretary. (reviewing whether the decisions made during the previous assembly meeting were duly undertaken or not.
Main committee: The main committee has 18 members. Originally, the chairman was elected from among the assembly members. The chairman and the secretary of the main committee are elected by the assembly during annual meeting. The other sixteen members are the chairman of the branch committees.
From late June until late October, the committee is active and holds at least one meeting in each month, depending on the issues that have to be decided. The major functions of the committee are to implement the decisions of the assembly and supervise the overall operation of the main canal.
Branch Canal Committee and Farmers' Assembly: Intially, there were 15 branch canals but one or more was added later to expand the irigation command area at the tail of the system. All of these branch committees have written rules, account books, and minutes of the meetings. There are two oganisational units in each branch; the branch canal farmers' assembly and the branch canal committee. |
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(c) Resource Allocation |
| Not reported |
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Conflict Resolution Mechanism |
| The farmer who breaks the rotation schedule is fined, Rs 25 the first time. If he disobeys the rules a second time, he is fined Rs 50 and his turn for water is cancelled. For the third offense, he is not allocated any water at all. These rules are strictly followed and few problems in water allocation are reported. |
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Purpose |
| To manage the water distribution |
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Country |
| Nepal |
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Region |
| Chitwan district |
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Date Of Publication |
| Srinivas: 27/07/96 |
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