There is increasing pressure worldwide on available water resources. These pressures arise
from a number of factors, including growing populations, increased wealth and urbanization,
increased industrialization, and de
...
There is increasing pressure worldwide on available water resources. These pressures arise
from a number of factors, including growing populations, increased wealth and urbanization,
increased industrialization, and demands from society and environmental groups for safeguards
to protect water resources and the aquatic environment. In many locations climate
change is adding to these pressures.
In many countries irrigated agriculture consumes a large proportion of the available water
resources, often over 70% of the total. There is considerable pressure to release water for other
uses, and as a sector, irrigated agriculture will have to increase its efficiency and productivity
of water use. A new era is dawning for water management in the irrigated agriculture sector,
where the management effort and returns to management are required, recognized and
rewarded.
This book draws on the author’s experience and work over 30 years and in some
28 countries in the management, operation and maintenance of irrigation and drainage
schemes. The book provides knowledge for management of irrigation and drainage systems
in the 21st century, covering the traditional technical areas related to system operation
and maintenance and expanding managerial, institutional and organizational aspects
related to the changing political, social and economic environment. It lays emphasis on
the management of irrigation as a business enterprise, moving management thinking out
of traditional public sector mindsets to more customer-focused, performance-oriented
service delivery.
A significant proportion of the irrigation and drainage systems worldwide are manually
operated gravity systems managed by government agencies with large numbers of water users
farming relatively small landholdings. The total area worldwide in this category is over 165
million ha, which is over 60% of the total area irrigated worldwide. It is in such systems where
improvements in management are most required, and in which the most substantial benefits
can be obtained.
The book seeks to provide practical guidelines to improve the three key processes of
management, operation and maintenance of such systems. In the management context it deals
with institutional issues, such as water law, and management structures and management
processes, including establishing and working with water users associations, restructuring
irrigation and drainage agencies, fee setting and cost recovery.
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