Irrigated Agriculture Sector in South Asia Challenges and Potential Soft Solutions

Mani ManivasakanPractice Leader Rural Water

South Asia Region

South Asia’s Key Water Challenges

Revitalizing irrigation– Very complex integrated glacier

/mountain/river/land/ groundwater/coastal ecosystems

– Impacts of the massive changes, primarily in the form of the irrigation system on ecosystem;

– South Asia has the world’s highest concentration of poor people living on less than USD 2 per day,

– The region’s underperforming irrigation sector is in need of reform.

People Living in Poverty (%)

Number of Hungry People (2010)

South Asia’s Key Water Challenges

Improving agricultural water productivity– Agriculture uses nearly 70% of all available

developed freshwater resources. Given the world’s projected population growth, Asia’s small farmers must somehow learn to produce more food with less water.

Water Withdrawal by Sector India Pakistan

761Million ML 183 Million ML

Water Withdrawal by Source India Pakistan

761Million ML 183 Million ML

India – Irrigation Techniques India Pakistan

» No stats for Pakistan but a similar trend to India

South Asia’s Key Water Challenges

Transboundary water issues– international – State– Information sharing among countries based on

mutual trust, transparency and to ensure the optimal management of water.

South Asia’s Key Water Challenges

Groundwater– Overexploitation of groundwater resources is

leading to falling water tables– Properly managed, groundwater recharge

technologies could make small scale agriculture productive and sustainable.

Environmental Flow

Not high priority

South Asia’s Key Water Challenges

Climate change and adaptation– Climate change will intensify

• existing problems, including reduced rainfall and runoff and increased heat stress.

• recurring droughts and floods increasingly result in the loss of lives, loss of rural livelihoods and food insecurity.

– Need to plan adaptation technologies for climate change now.

– Implementation of these technologies requires new approaches to policy and management.

A note on “reforms of service provision” (applicable for both irrigation and water supply services)

The current situation is not sustainable and has resulted in a “build-neglect-rebuild” model which constitutes a major constraint to growth

Bills have to be paid – the question is “how”

Replacement

National Water Plans

O & M (Efficient)

Financial Requirements

Who pays

Taxpayers

Users

a. A healthy system – (e.g. Australia)

Replacement

National Water Plans

O & M (Efficient)

Financial Requirements

Who pays

Taxpayers

Users

a. A healthy system – (e.g. Australia)

Excess workforce

O & M (Inefficient)

Replacement

National Water Plans Taxpayers

Taxpayers

Taxpayers

Users

Users

No one

b. An unhealthy system

Financial Requirements

Who pays

Water Security

Potential Solutions

Reform governance of irrigation sector Support on-farm water and land management

practices Improve maintenance and operation of irrigation

canal system Promote efficient and conservative use of

groundwater construction of small and mini dams for water

storage and for better watershed management. Private sector involvement Soft solutions – knowledgebase driven DSS

Big picture conclusionsSolution Areas

Benefits without reforms

Major infrastructure ****

Agricultural Productivity **

Knowledge base and human resources

***

Big picture conclusionsSolution Areas

Benefits without reforms

Benefits with

reformsMajor infrastructure **** *****

Agricultural Productivity ** *****

Knowledge base and human resources

*** *****

Big picture conclusionsSolution Areas

Benefits without reforms

Benefits with

reforms

Political commitment

from Governments?

Donor Role? Comments

Major infrastructure **** ***** Very high for project;

Mostly low for necessary sector

reforms

Political and financial support

Expensive – low benefit cost ratio

Agricultural Productivity ** ***** High for technical

improvements; mostly low for critical

reforms including financing

Support for robust investments (such as OFWM, DSS); Support for innovation,

Partly linked to Knowledgebase and DSS

Knowledge base and human resources

*** ***** Usually low but increasing support

with more awareness

Major for training, study tours, seed funding, technology transfer, partnerships

Relatively low cost but greater benefit cost ratio

Conclusions

Increasing agricultural production with decreasing water resource is possible

A need for new institutional arrangement Need for political leadership and greater

involvement of farmers organizations and the private sector – to explore new approaches.

Intelligent Water Management