BACKGROUND

Main hypothesis: Modernisation of warabandi canal systems with on-demand supply in the main canal will not lead to improved irrigation performance, without corresponding changes in operational policy and incentives for farmers and irrigation system managers.

The research questions

This project was primarily a consultancy contract with the Asian Development Bank in Pakistan, with some research elements - "RESULTANCY". The project was intended to support the transition from a medium duty warabandi system to a mixed upstream and downstream control system, with additional automatically regulated water supply from the Tarbela Dam, using water allocations made under the Indus Basin Provincial Water Accord.

From an IWMI perspective, the research components included:

• Performance assessment of a modernized large scale irrigation system in Pakistan.
• Development, testing and application of "Crop Based Irrigation Operation" - a scheduling technique to allow irrigation water to be scheduled and supplied in to satisfy crop water demand. It was designed to replace the fixed proportional sharing schedule of warabandi, which oversupplies at early and late crop growth stages and under-supplies at peak demand.
• To develop and test decision support tools for the operation of the modernized system, and develop and Management Information System.

Objectives

• Revise and develop operational practices for a large hybrid upstream downstream control canal system servicing 185,000 ha.
• Liaise between the operating agency (NWFP Department of Irrigation), the construction authority (WAPDA), the design consultants (Lahmayer/Binnie) and the contractors.
• Train Department of Irrigation staff in the use of decision support tools and management information systems.
• Liaise with On Farm Water Management Directorate, with respect to implementation of Crop Based Irrigation Operation (CBIO), farmer organizations, WUAs and farmer training.
• Implement CBIO in the Maira branch canal

Methods

IWMI established a field station with more than 8 permanent staff at Gohati, in the mid reaches of the canal. IWMI established flow monitoring and flow ratings/ calibration for all offtakes and for the main canal, and at selected points in the drainage system. It also established a groundwater monitoring network. It collated all as built design data and conducted a cross sectional survey of the as built canal before and after de-silting in 2004-5. An additional group of research staff concerned with 1) hydraulic simulation 2) GIS and remote sensing analysis of crop production 3) optimization modeling and 4) farm economics, periodically visited the project site from the Lahore Office.

• Multiple field surveys were conducted for 1) crop pattern analysis 2) warabandi and water management practice 3) farmer attitudes to CBIO.
• Simulation modeling was used to determine operation rules, and to solve problems with commissioning of the canals.
• Pilot operation of CBIO was conducted in Maira in 2003-2004, 2004 and 2005 in partnership with irrigation department staff. One season was completely lost on 2004, due to failure of the SCADA system controlling the outlet to PHLC from Tarbela dam.
• IWMI conducted a significant amount of training for technical specialists in conjunction with Kasetsart University (CBIO) and Cemagref (SIC). Irrigation management (especially with respect to downstream control) CBIO training was given at two levels 1) to irrigation department, OFWM and WAPDA staff and 2) farmers.

Project leader

Researchers

Major Donors

Project Duration