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| Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems in Nepal |
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Reference |
| Pradhan, Prachanda: " Farmer Managed Irrigation Systems in Nepal.", Nepal Field Operations of International Irrigation Management Institute, Kathmandu. (Year of publishing is not mentioned, but reference has been made to articles from 1989). |
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Introduction to the Institution |
| The Satrasaya Phant irrigation system in Tanahau district is believed by the local people to be more than 200 years old. In 1968 it covered 21,6 ha, but today the command area is larger. The system has 45 irrigators registered. |
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Coverage of the Institution |
| Geographical and historical coverage is not reported. The institution is concurrent, but has episodic elements. |
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Rules for Management
of the Institution |
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(a) Boundary Rules |
| Not reported. |
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(b) Governance
rules |
| Until 1979 the system was looked after by a Jimawal, the government agent who is responsible for collecting land revenue. If the revenue collection fell short of the quota for the area, the Jimawal would have to pay the revenue difference himself. Hence his incentive for enchancing irrigation was high, as irrigation contributes to the productivity of land. In 1979 a seven member committee was founded to monitor the irrigation system, currently, though, the committee has ten members, including Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and 6 other members. Written rules have been made and they are updated each year after discussion. The committee is in charge of maintaining the system and repairing the dam annually, appointing guards at the dam during main crop cultivation and appointing a water supervisor to allocate water to each farm within the command area. As for guarding the brush dam (see Conflict), six different persons are assigned for guarding it each night by the committee.
MAINTENANCE: When the Jimawal managed Satrasaya Phant, 128 men were mobilized for main canal maintenance each day until the work was completed. The command area was divided into four blocks (see ResA) and 32 men from each block would contribute their labour. When the irrigation committee was formed, they contracted the maintenance of the main canal locally. In 1985 the contract amount for maintenance work was 1000 Rs. The contractor is supervised by the vice-chairman. Dam repair is also done through a contractor. |
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(c) Resource Allocation |
| During the summer paddy season, water is allocated along the main canal by the supervisor. The same allocation procedures have been used for many years. The size of the water outlets along the main canal is fixed according to tradition. The supervisor allows water to flow into the first outlet until all the lands there are wet. He then rotates water from outlet to outlet from head to tail along the main canal until all the fields are wet. If rains are wet or do not come during the summer paddy season, the water supervisor divide the command area into four blocks and allocates water for 24 hrs. to each block. For this work he will receive additional paddy from each farmer. |
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Conflict Resolution Mechanism |
| The institution is involved in a conflict with a neighbouring irrigation community, Yampa Phant, using the same source - the Aadi Mul Spring. The conflict has been going on for generations. Farmers from the Satrasaya Phant system will try to divert all of the spring water into their canal, causing water shortage in the lower section of the Yampa Phant system. Therefore farmers from the Yampa Phant system will break the Satrasaya brush dam to feed their channels. The conflict has not yet been solved, and the Satrasaya Phant use many resources for guarding their brush dam. Infact four other irrigation systems are located below the intake of the Satrasaya Phant system, who occasionally will try to break the dams to provide water for their own system. The farmers of Satrasaya Phant filed a case in court to establish their right to the water, but the court declared that the water should be used as it had been in the past. (Past use is not reported). Internally, this conflict is reported to strengthen the institution, as members are kept active and aware of the importance of cooperating within the group. Conflict within the system are solved by the individuals involved. |
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Problems Faced by Institution |
| Not reported. |
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Changes in the Institution over time |
| After the irrigation committee took over waterdistribution from the Jimawal, they found that they could not do the job satisfactorily as a group. The responsibility was therefore contracted to a water supervisor. The contract is reviewed each year, and the water supervisors performance is evaluated. |
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Other Features of Institution |
| - |
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Purpose |
| Irrigation Management |
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Country |
| Nepal |
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Region |
| Tanahau district. |
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Date Of Publication |
| TroB 030496 |
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