Developing Frameworks and Tools for Good Governance and Management of Water Resources

Water scarcity is a growing threat to food security, human health and the sustainability of natural ecosystems. Research shows that by the year 2025, about one third of the population in developing countries will live in regions of severe water scarcity (IWMI, 2000). Irrigation water, which accounts for about 70 % of freshwater supplies in developing countries, is being increasingly diverted for domestic and industrial purposes. Yet, irrigated agriculture will continue to remain in the foreseeable future a principal means for producing enough food for a growing population and improving the livelihoods of poor men and women. The challenges faced by the water sector are exacerbated by distorted economic and non-economic incentives that have perverse consequences and highly fragmented institutions that are ineffective for allocating water across purpose.

Research on institutions and policies has occupied a prominent place in IWMI's research agenda since the inception of the institute. In the early years, the focus was primarily on two specific sets of activities: a) improving the performance of public organizations managing irrigation Systems through improved designs and operational procedures and b) understanding institutional arrangements and management practices of indigenous farmer managed irrigation systems, and analyzing the external and internal stresses that constrain their performance levels. IWMI has done extensive work on these topics, and research reports published by the institute have been frequently used by specialists in designing new strategies for effective water management programs.

With the growing recognition of the importance of policy and institutional issues in irrigation management, a separate research program titled Policy Institutions and Management Program (PIM) was established in 1999 for carrying out research on policy options for optimizing water productivity and issues relating to institutions, poverty, food security, gender and inter-sectoral competition for water (Merrey, 1997). The present theme on Water Resource Institutions and Policy (WRIP) evolved as a logical succession to the PIM program. The primary aim of WRIP was to produce knowledge-based guidelines for best practices in policies, governance frameworks and organizational designs to improve land and water productivity for enhanced food security, livelihoods and environmental sustainability. The second aim was to engage in capacity building of national partners and collaborators to facilitate better research and development, policy formulation and the implementation of interventions for sustainable management of water and land resources.

Over the period 1995 to 2002, IWMI's research on policies and institutions was focused on the following broad areas:

Irrigation Management Reform

Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT) served as the cornerstone of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) research agenda for nearly a decade. This focus resulted from growing evidence of under-performance of publicly owned irrigation schemes and widespread belief that the transfer of management responsibilities to farmer organizations could improve the management of irrigation systems and make irrigated agriculture more productive and sustainable. IWMI contributions to the topic included literature reviews and analyses of experiences and impacts of past IMT processes, advice to policy makers in planning and implementing IMT, and development of generic IMT guidelines and technical support for governments implementing IMT programs. The results of IWMI's research and related policy and operational recommendations have guided national policies relating to irrigation management

in several developing countries. Further, guidelines on Irrigation Management Transfer prepared by IWMI and FAO have served as a reference tool to assist policy makers, planners and technical assistance experts and other stakeholders to design and implement irrigation management transfer programs (Vermillion and Sargadoy, 1999). More specific guidelines on Water User Associations have been developed for use in Central Asia,

IWMI's research has shown that there is no single organizational model of water policy and water resources management that applied universally. A country's ability to adopt new policies and institutions is highly contextual and is dependent upon the overall state of the economy, political system, legal system, cultural background and its physical resource base would circumscribe the policies and actions in the water sector. These parameters would also contribute towards determining the style and content of water resources management in any river basin (Bandaragoda, 2005). A Policy Dialogue on River Basin Management in May 2003 brought together senior policy makers and cabinet ministers from 10 countries, which led to the ministers unanimously adopting a declaration stressing the need for effective river basin management.

Mainstreaming Gender Issues

IWMI's research under this theme also addressed gender and water related research issues. A key outcome on gender issues was that research raised awareness and sensitized irrigation managers and policy makers about the needs and concerns of women irrigators in the planning of water allocation. To help translate positive intentions into concrete actions, IWMI pioneered the Gender Performance Indicator for Irrigation (Van Koppen, 2002). This sociological tool diagnoses the gendered organization of farming and gender based inclusion or exclusion in irrigation institutions. It informs irrigation agencies as to what they can do to support effective change, if necessary. The tool also identifies gender issues beyond a strict mandate of irrigation water provision. The Indicator has been applied and tested by IWMI in nine case studies in Africa and Asia , and serves as one of the few gender studies that offer a practical tool to guide the interventions of policy makers, NGOs and senior irrigation managers wishing to achieve greater gender equity in their development projects.

Water Security for the Poor

Although irrigation has played a central role in poverty reduction, most irrigated agricultural systems are still home to a large number of poor people. Over the past few years, IWMI has implemented programs to analyze the link between water and poverty. An ADB funded project on propoor interventions in irrigated agriculture in Asia generated new knowledge and focused on issues that have been identified for further research. IWMI's research clearly showed that provision of irrigation is indeed an effective instrument for poverty alleviation. Poverty-reducing impacts of irrigation are enhanced when other complementary factors such as access to land, markets, education and other social capital are in place (Hussain, 2005) IWMI was a founding partner of the Water and Poverty Initiative also spearheaded by the ADB and also a key contributor to the development of the Water Poverty Index formulated by HR Wallingford.

Water as a Free Good or Economic Commodity

IWMI's research has argued that water should be defined as both an economic good as well as a social good (Perry at al., 1997) IWMI has pushed for a blend of values and facts in the proper formulation of water policy. This called for a more in-depth and integrated analysis that recognized the fact that the value of water varies substantially over time and space. Recent studies have also addressed conceptual issues related to the economics of water productivity. Finally, IWMI research has examined how economic tools such as pricing, cost sharing and water markets should be designed and applied for the efficient use and conservation of water resources without disadvantaging the poor.