Institutional change and shared management of water resources in large canal systems : results of an action research program in Pakistan

The project"s methodology was characterized by a step-wise process of social organization catalyzed by a locally recruited small field team with the assistance of community-based volunteers. Training and other forms of capacity building were the major motivating influences. A field implementation coordination committee consisting of representatives of all service delivery agencies working in the area, along with selected water users, highlighted the necessity of farmer-agency coordination and greatly facilitated an incentive mechanism through collaborative activities. This combined effort resulted in the formation of 200 water user associations (WUAs) at the tertiary (watercourse) level, and four water user federations (WUFs) at the secondary canal (distributary) level at the four pilot sites. In a break with the traditional institutional framework, the project converted the existing state-property regime at the secondary canal level to a common-property regime, causing the latter to interact with both the state for water delivery in the main canal and with a private-property regime at the tertiary level for appropriation of water resources units. The emerging results of this social experiment are encouraging. The new WUFs were able to make collective decisions to negotiate with state irrigation authorities on joint management agreements for managing water resources in the canal system. Although these agreements were not immediately effective due to a procedural difficulty imposed by the present legal framework, the WUFs undertook a planned maintenance program during the canal closure period and initiated a maintenance- related infrastructure improvement program. Replicability of the program is enhanced by the methodology adopted: the deployment of small field teams and the use of local volunteers. One drawback has been the lack of full commitment from government agencies, which have to take the initiative for empowering the water user organizations. The enthusiasm and the capacity demonstrated by the water users in organizing for collective action show a good potential for further progress. Very likely, the demand generated at the local level could facilitate a bureaucratic reorientation, which in turn would provide the necessary institutional support for the new water user organizations. Includes references. (Author abstract, modified)