DETERMINANTS OF IRRIGATION

Evaluation covers the period 10/77-4/80 and is based on a review of project documents and interviews with personnel from Cornell University, the implementing agency. If completed, the project will promote more equitable and efficient use of water for irrigation. Cornell has made excellent use of the workshop method for achieving cooperation with host country and international institutions, and has good working relationships. However, the project is 6 months behind schedule. Efforts have not progressed from field data collection to reporting, analysis, and information dissemination. This delay was caused by the lag time in establishing cooperative agreements with host countries. At least another year is needed to complete data collection in Indonesia. Data are complete from the Philippines, but their validity are questionable since the three community- and government-run systems studied have been absorbed into a larger system. The use of different research approaches in the two countries may make comparisons difficult. It is evident that more time should be allocated in the project design for the necessary organizational work prior to implementation. The project should be extended for 18 months and be restricted to data collection and analysis efforts only; it should not be extended to a third country as originally planned. Research methodology should be specified to identify the data being assembled and techniques to be used, and greater emphasis should be placed on social sciences. A protocol for field data collection should be established with criteria for site selection and for isolating key variables. Other recommendations are to: (1) increase the senior staff time on project; (2) issue a paper specifying the major hypotheses underlying the research; (3) develop a diagnostic guide; (4) provide guidelines on analytical products and specific papers to be produced; and (5) analyze Philippine data and review data collection needs for Indonesia in light of the analysis.