Factors Influencing Equity in Farmer-managed Irrigation Distribution in Sindh, Pakistan

抄録

Equitable distribution of irrigation has been one of the most compelling justification for irrigation management reforms in many countries. Policy response to such need in Pakistan had been the introduction of farmer-management of tertiary level irrigation affairs. This study presents an empirical analysis of the effect of reforms on equitable irrigation distribution in Farmer Organizations (FO) of three Area Water Boards (AWBs) in Sindh, Pakistan. Cross-sectional quantitative information obtained from secondary sources included the official datasets on irrigation discharge measurements, FO maturity indexes and FO profiles prepared by Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (SIDA) and Water Sector Improvement Project (WSIP-I). A multinomial logistic regression model, having Equity between Head and Tail watercourses as the regressand and Institutional maturity index, Culturable command area, and Membership size of FO as the regressors were used to model the determinants of Equity in Farmer-managed Irrigation Distribution. The study identified institutional maturity as one of the influential factors explaining variation in the irrigation delivery performance of FOs. With some caveats, findings have useful policy implications for the success of irrigation reforms for sustainable agriculture in Sindh Province of Pakistan.