Whither Asian Irrigation?

Asian irrigators, of course, have  long needed to balance their equipments for water for crop production with other water demands in their communities – for use in their households, for nurturing their animals, for powering grain mills and other devices, and for ritual and aesthetic purposes. In the past and in some places even now, local technology and social organization were constructed to allow the negotiation and implementation of acceptable water allocation.

        These old rules and technologies can still be found in parts of Asia’s diverse irrigated regions. But also to be found – some times side-by-side with the old and sometimes as intended or actual substitutes for the old – are new technologies. Fresh rules and novel organizations that have been created to deal with the contemporary water situation.

        This latest book brought out by Sage Publications, titled Asian Irrigation in Transition, and covers this spectrum of old and new, established and unfolding remedies.  A striking point stands out as one considers the total set of essays contained in this volume – the accretion and accumulation of Asia’s irrigation troubles. One reads here that while old problems remain unresolved – improving the management of large scale irrigation systems or designing effective state support for farmer-managed systems, for example – new problems have surfaced. The new difficulties include poor management of the watersheds in which irrigation systems are embedded and unsatisfactory arrangements for transferring water supplies from one sector to another. And, of course, since the old and new difficulties are tightly intertwined, he inability to find ways out of long-sanding problems only makes more obscure possible remedies for the newer dilemmas.

        Researchers and policy makers alike may find it hard to resist the allure of tackling the new generation of public problems while leaving the familiar ones less attended. Already under-attended appears to be the examination of the links between the old and new problems – to what extent is poor irrigation system management a function of unsatisfactory watershed governance or how does poor irrigation system management contribute to diminished watershed functions?

        Continuity and change can be a glib phrase that sometimes explains little while leaving much murky. However, it seems an especially apt summary of the irrigation scene presented in this volume. There is continuity in yesterday’s and today’s concerns with broken and poorly managed government systems, the tussle between community and agency rights and responsibilities, and getting process of farmer participation right. While the situation in which these problems occur and the forces that contribute to their shape may be somewhat different now than before, nonetheless they are familiar adversaries to those who have grappled with improving Asian irrigation.

        The new issue of closed basins, and basin management more generally, also reshapes the focus on water rights. Previously, the discussion of water rights in Asia has largely focused on the matter of rights within an irrigation system, or perhaps, among two or more irrigation system. Important work has been done in establishing the importance of customary and state water rights

        Strength of this book is that it avoids an omission that has frequently occurred in irrigation discussions – attention to groundwater issues. Wells are an ancient element in the irrigation landscape of Asia. What is new in this era are the total number of wells, the technology used for drilling and extracting water and consequently, the extraordinary amount of groundwater that is being lifted  to the surface . Impressive technological changes, wayward economic incentives and the lack of institutional controls have facilitated the acceleration of groundwater extraction. What is missing almost everywhere is the concomitant flowering of new institutions and organizations to effectively regulate groundwater extraction to avoid the depletion of aquifers or other resource problems. The search for institutional frameworks that reflect the collective good and balance the frenzy of individual well drilling and pumping decisions, thus far, has been unfruitful. We are reminded that this shortcoming has the potential for awful consequences for communities and environments and requires concerted attention quickly.

        Finally, the organizers of this volume have boldly set out their vision of the future of Asian irrigation – the crucial puzzles to be explored and understood. While these are welcome because of the base of experiences on which they are constructed and the wisdom of the authors that derives from their prior work it also is important to grasp the indeterminate character of tomorrow.

                All in all, this vital document provides a superb set of thoughtful observations and discussions for pondering over Asia’s irrigation future. Covering a topic of immense concern in today’s world, this volume will be widely welcomed by students and scholars of water resource management, development studies and policy analysis. q      

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