Participatory water institutions and sustainable irrigation management: evidence and lessons from West Bengal, India

• Published in: Water policy 2022-04, Vol.24 (4), p.667-684
• Main Authors: Chattopadhyay, Soumyadip, De, Indranil, Mishra, Prabhat, Parey, Akhilesh, Dutta, Subhasish
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accountability; Agricultural production; Building management; Capacity building approach; Capacity development; Catchment area; Catchment areas; Check dams; Collective action; Community; Construction; Decision making; Incentives; india; Infrastructure; Irrigation; Irrigation water; Participation; participatory irrigation management; Physical characteristics; Physical properties; Pumping stations; Regression analysis; Rivers; Socioeconomic factors; Storage; Training; Training programmes; Water; Water availability; Water consumption; Water management; Water users; water users’ association; west bengal
• ISSN: 1366-7017; 1996-9759
• DOI: 10.2166/wp.2022.306

Based on a survey of selected Water Users’ Associations (WUA) and their members in West Bengal, India, this paper examines the nature and determinants of member participation in irrigation management. WUA meetings were held on a regular basis with higher member participation under Tube Well, Check Dam and River Lift Irrigation schemes. Their physical characteristics (e.g., high sub-surface storage and flowing rivers with large catchment areas) and system features (e.g., centralized pump house and defined distribution infrastructure) contribute to better water availability, incentivizing the members to participate. Our regression analysis suggests that along with these factors, the socioeconomic attributes of members and their perception about the functioning and decision making of the WUA influence participation in the collective management of schemes. The more the members perceive the functioning of WUAs as democratic and transparent, the greater is their incentive to participate. Greater participatory involvement of the members in the form of donating land for irrigation construction and in training programs is also found to be crucial. So, this paper argues for making the decision-making processes within WUAs democratic and transparent, along with greater efforts toward capacity building of the members, including training for skill enhancement, management and provision of agricultural support practices.