south asia region
DESCRIPTION
Irrigated Agriculture Sector in South Asia Challenges and Potential Soft Solutions Mani Manivasakan Practice Leader Rural Water. South Asia Region. South Asia’s Key Water Challenges. Revitalizing irrigation Very complex integrated glacier /mountain/river/land/ groundwater/coastal ecosystems - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Irrigated Agriculture Sector in South Asia Challenges and Potential Soft Solutions
Mani ManivasakanPractice Leader Rural Water
South Asia Region
South Asia’s Key Water Challenges
Revitalizing irrigation– Very complex integrated glacier
/mountain/river/land/ groundwater/coastal ecosystems
– Impacts of the massive changes, primarily in the form of the irrigation system on ecosystem;
– South Asia has the world’s highest concentration of poor people living on less than USD 2 per day,
– The region’s underperforming irrigation sector is in need of reform.
People Living in Poverty (%)
Number of Hungry People (2010)
South Asia’s Key Water Challenges
Improving agricultural water productivity– Agriculture uses nearly 70% of all available
developed freshwater resources. Given the world’s projected population growth, Asia’s small farmers must somehow learn to produce more food with less water.
Water Withdrawal by Sector India Pakistan
761Million ML 183 Million ML
Water Withdrawal by Source India Pakistan
761Million ML 183 Million ML
India – Irrigation Techniques India Pakistan
» No stats for Pakistan but a similar trend to India
South Asia’s Key Water Challenges
Transboundary water issues– international – State– Information sharing among countries based on
mutual trust, transparency and to ensure the optimal management of water.
South Asia’s Key Water Challenges
Groundwater– Overexploitation of groundwater resources is
leading to falling water tables– Properly managed, groundwater recharge
technologies could make small scale agriculture productive and sustainable.
Environmental Flow
Not high priority
South Asia’s Key Water Challenges
Climate change and adaptation– Climate change will intensify
• existing problems, including reduced rainfall and runoff and increased heat stress.
• recurring droughts and floods increasingly result in the loss of lives, loss of rural livelihoods and food insecurity.
– Need to plan adaptation technologies for climate change now.
– Implementation of these technologies requires new approaches to policy and management.
A note on “reforms of service provision” (applicable for both irrigation and water supply services)
The current situation is not sustainable and has resulted in a “build-neglect-rebuild” model which constitutes a major constraint to growth
Bills have to be paid – the question is “how”
Replacement
National Water Plans
O & M (Efficient)
Financial Requirements
Who pays
Taxpayers
Users
a. A healthy system – (e.g. Australia)
Replacement
National Water Plans
O & M (Efficient)
Financial Requirements
Who pays
Taxpayers
Users
a. A healthy system – (e.g. Australia)
Excess workforce
O & M (Inefficient)
Replacement
National Water Plans Taxpayers
Taxpayers
Taxpayers
Users
Users
No one
b. An unhealthy system
Financial Requirements
Who pays
Water Security
Potential Solutions
Reform governance of irrigation sector Support on-farm water and land management
practices Improve maintenance and operation of irrigation
canal system Promote efficient and conservative use of
groundwater construction of small and mini dams for water
storage and for better watershed management. Private sector involvement Soft solutions – knowledgebase driven DSS
Big picture conclusionsSolution Areas
Benefits without reforms
Major infrastructure ****
Agricultural Productivity **
Knowledge base and human resources
***
Big picture conclusionsSolution Areas
Benefits without reforms
Benefits with
reformsMajor infrastructure **** *****
Agricultural Productivity ** *****
Knowledge base and human resources
*** *****
Big picture conclusionsSolution Areas
Benefits without reforms
Benefits with
reforms
Political commitment
from Governments?
Donor Role? Comments
Major infrastructure **** ***** Very high for project;
Mostly low for necessary sector
reforms
Political and financial support
Expensive – low benefit cost ratio
Agricultural Productivity ** ***** High for technical
improvements; mostly low for critical
reforms including financing
Support for robust investments (such as OFWM, DSS); Support for innovation,
Partly linked to Knowledgebase and DSS
Knowledge base and human resources
*** ***** Usually low but increasing support
with more awareness
Major for training, study tours, seed funding, technology transfer, partnerships
Relatively low cost but greater benefit cost ratio
Conclusions
Increasing agricultural production with decreasing water resource is possible
A need for new institutional arrangement Need for political leadership and greater
involvement of farmers organizations and the private sector – to explore new approaches.
Intelligent Water Management