Reference :

Rice, E. B. 1996. Paddy irrigation and water management in Southeast Asia, a World Bank
Operations Evaluation Study, 64 p.

Author :

Rice, E. B.

Summary :

The objective of this study is to assess the agro-economic impacts of investments in gravity-fed irrigation schemes in the paddylands of SEA, and to determine whether and how the quality of operation and maintenance (O&M) services influences the sustainability of these impacts. The study team selected eight gravity-fed irrigation in Asia, including the Mae Klong system of the Central Plain of Thailand.
Several sets of proposal are established, after finding that improved O&M performance is unlikely to counterbalance poor economic profitability. They include :

• Sharpen the response to O&M failure by desegregating O&M, identifying sub-components with poor performance.

• Simplify the infrastructure and operations technology by converting to fixed and automatic controls that need less human intervention

• Promote the transfer of management to farmers and their WUGs

• Improve household earnings by diversifying cropping systems and supporting research, extension and marketing services.

Keywords :

Thailand/ Asia/ Mae Klong/ irrigation/ water management/ rice/ sugarcane/ agricultural diversification/ water user associations/ cropping systems

Contacts :

World Bank : http://www.worldbank.org