Philippine small scale irrigation

support, has built or rehabilitated over 1,000 village irrigation systems. This document evaluates the two successive A.I.D. projects which have contributed to this effort. The evaluation begins with a brief description of the projects, in which small, subsistence farmers are encouraged to form cooperative organizations called Irrigators Service Associations (ISA's) in order to gain access to loans and electricity and to construct, operate, and maintain village irrigation systems. The GOP provides loan monies and extension services and arranges for electricity to be brought to the area. The next section analyzes the economic, social, and political impact of these projects. Although irrigation provides the opportunity to grow two crops each year and this double cropping has led to increased on-farm employment, these effects have not necessarily guaranteed real income benefits for the farmers, particularly since they must curtail off-farm employment. Increasing costs of production, debt burdens from capital investments, and persistent technological and water management problems have dampened the rise in farm incomes. The small farmers also do not receive the higher price paid by the GOP exporting company because they cannot afford to adequately treat their rice after harvest. The improvement in family income that does occur is often spent on education rather than improved nutrition. A concluding section contains major findings and policy implications. Overall, the village irrigation systems have had immediate and visible benefits. Nevertheless, more extensive use of total farm resources (raising livestock), complementary off-farm enterprises, post-harvest grain treatment, and timely and adequate credit provision will be necessary to increase farmer income to a level enabling them to carry their debt. The authors recommend, therefore, that any future A.I.D. support concentrate on technical assistance to improve the productive capacity of farms in existing irrigation systems rather than continuing to expand the ISA network. Six appendices concerning related topics, including a 20-item bibliography (1975-1979), are included.