1. Rupsha Banerjee and Regina Birner Tropentag 18th September 2013
The Role of the Individual Agency in Participatory Irrigation Management: Lessons from India
Rupsha Banerjee and Regina Birner
Farmers Challenges: Adoption and Innovation in the Process of Empowerment
Tropentag 18th September 2013

2. Relevance
The issue of water related innovation and technical change sits at the heart of agricultural development in the semi-arid regions
In addition to appropriate technology, necessary to have viable institutional arrangements
The devolution of authority for natural resource management seen as an important approach
Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) conceived as way for effective irrigation management

3. Issues in PIM
Involved only partial devolution of responsibilities by respective administrations
Assumptions of performance based on ‘technical’ rather than institutional factors
Conflict arose when water was scarce and delay in arrival of water
Knowledge gaps still remain on why some local governance challenges remain while others are reduced
Critical question: what and who are the driving forces for successful irrigation management
Source: Google Images 3

4. Role of Individual Agency
Crucial to examine reasons for success/ failure of interventions
The role of seemingly ‘idiosyncratic’ features should not be neglected
Involvement of particular people
The motivation/incentive to get involved
Trusted leaders can provide the assurance necessary for people to be willing to cooperate
Source: Google Images 4

5. Location of Study Villages
Source: 5

6. Data Collection FGDs 4 16 Individual Interviews 68 71 62 10 273 V 1
Office Bearers
Total
FGDs 4 16
Individual Interviews 68 71 62 10
273 6

7. Snapshot: Study Villages
WUA President V 1
Canal Inspector V 2
Exec Sec V 1
V 3
V 4

8. Data Analysis Inductive Research : The role of individual agency
Emerged as a driving feature for institutional innovations that enabled success of WUAs
Recordings of FGDs and interviews transcribed in verbatim without letting the researcher’s opinion or ideas influence it
Field notes initial memos which were integrated in the final stage of analysis as a method of filling up the gaps
Qualitative analysis using NVivo 8

9. Functioning of the WUAs
Indicators V1 V3 V2 V4
Water Distribution System
2 rotations in rabi (winter) 1 in summer
Usually 3 rotations during paddy season
Usually 1 rotation but subject to claims of water availability
No track of rotations as claimed
Collective Choice
Farmers consulted before water cuts
Cropping patterns discussed
No visible involvement of farmers
Complete absence of meetings
Monitoring
Water measured using mobile phones application
Water measured in designated inches
No existing mechanisms
Conflict Management
Use if community pressure
Water stopped to neighbouring fields
Conflict within the WUAs itself
Use of WUA to strike against DoI*
Elite Capture
Minimal instances
High levels of elite capture for water access
Role of Support Organization
Claims of high level of involvement
Claims of partial involvement
Claims of minimal involvement
Claims of hostility
*Department of Irrigation 9

10. Role of Individual Agency
‘No one is going to steal the water as they are all their own brothers and community members. There might be there but as far as the department is concerned, it is more of the job of the WUA to monitor it. So if there is anything that is going wrong, one fellow will complain and then they have their own meetings so that if someone is doing wrong, the other person will point out there itself. Between us we control it and co-ordinate things well amongst ourselves’ ‘
(President WUA V3 on water theft and conflict management)
‘Maybe if there was a person like Bharat Bhau with the kind of authority and influence he has he could have made all of them work together, because everything else was done. The WUAs were formed, registration was done but then it didn’t work and doesn’t work. There is no leadership or a driving force to make sure that it is working well’
(FGD Small Farmers V2 on being asked their opinion about the WUA)
‘There is no leadership or a driving force to make sure that it is working well. To make these WUAs work, there needs to be very strong organization and very close monitoring of the canal water and this is not done and is not available, the system is not there ‘
(Canal Inspector V2 over an informal lunch conversation on the WUA functioning) 10

11. Conclusions
Collective action and collaboration among various levels comes about only with either a high incentive or a strong individual force
The systems are effective because of the efforts of certain individuals and passing over leadership to carefully identified successors to carry on the process forward
Hence it is worthwhile in further understanding the conditions under which these particular leaders are created and can be sustained
WUAs are now being expected to take up the role of training and capacity building where water management is concerned 11

12. Thank you for your attention!!