A comparative study of multipurpose and single purpose water user groups in Chitwan District of Nepal | |
| Author | Magarati, Komal Kumari |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AS-03-10 |
| Subject(s) | Irrigation -- Nepal Water in agriculture -- Nepal |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis ; no. AS-03-10 |
| Abstract | This comparative study of single purpose and multipurpose water users group was conducted to assess their performance in terms of agricultural production and institutional efficiency The two selected irrigation systems, Panchakanya and Khageri, both located in Chitwan district, share the similar biophysical condition and have multi-tiered Water User Associations in Nepal. For this study, household survey and group discussions were used as the study approaches by means of structured questionnaire and a prepared checklist respectively. Stratified random sampling was done in both systems by dividing the command area of both systems into three strata based on the reach of the system as head, mid and tail to obtain a total sample of 96 households. Branch canals; 2, 6 and minor 4 in Khageri and branch canals; 1, 5 and, 8 in Panchakanya were selected to represent the head, mid and tail reaches respectively. The data, both qualitative and quantitative, were collected from the various primary and secondary sources. The collected data were analyzed using statistical tools like frequency, percentage, independent sample t - test and one - way ANOV A. The study revealed that the two irrigation systems are similar in the socio-economic characteristics. The communities are heterogeneous in ethnicity with Brahrnin and Chhetri as the dominant ethnic groups having educational status and literacy rate higher than that of the country. Agriculture, being the primary occupation of the households in both systems, is also their main source of income and livelihood. The two systems differ in the average landholding size due to the difference in their command areas. Both systems have three-tiered Water User Association but multipurpose water users group was found at the sixth eastern branch canal of K.hageri Irrigation System only. Panchakanya Irrigation System was FMIS before it was taken up by the government in 1974 and again later, it was handed over to the WUA in 1994 where as Khageri Irrigation System was put under joint management of the government and WUA in 1992 according to the Irrigation Policy of 1992. The WUAs of both systems are actively working for the benefit of the farmers but comparatively, Panchakanya WUA was found to have performed better in terms of agricultural performance and institutional efficiency. The branch committee six - east of Khageri is a multipurpose one, supplying the daily goods to the farmers but it was found not to have any effect on the agricultural performance. The households of both systems have a good access to the markets and the middlemen play a vital role in the transaction of the agricultural produce. The various governmental and non - governmental agencies have been providing agriculture related support services but the study showed a wide gap between the provider and the beneficiaries and the WUA had a very minimal contribution in reaching out these services to the water users. The study has recommended the government to adopt 'one door policy' to implement various programs based on the 'group approach' targeting the same beneficiaries. This encourages the existing WUAs to diversify their present activities to starting a co-operative with multiple objectives of disttibuting agricultural inputs, providing credit, collecting and marketing agricultural produce. These WUAs should play a vital role in narrowing down the wide gap between the support service provider and beneficiaries by keeping a good coordination with them. These WUAs should expand their activity to other income generating activities that can add resource to the WUA. |
| Year | 2003 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis ; no. AS-03-10 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Aquatic Systems(AS) |
| Chairperson(s) | Shivakoti, Ganesh Prasad; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Zoebisch, Michael A. ;Routray, Jayant Kumar; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Government of Norway (NORAD) ;AIT Fellowship; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2003 |