public-private partnership; irrigation; decision support; water destribution; sustainable management; water user association
Abstract :
[en] Within the framework of a national policy on food sufficiency dating back to the late 1960s, a 1,200 ha State-run irrigated rice scheme, called the ‘Kou Valley’ scheme, was established in south-western Burkina Faso. Jointly managed over a long period by State officials and a series of international development agencies, all aid ended abruptly in 1993, leaving the farmers and their hastily assembled Water Users Association (WUA) poorly prepared to assume management of the scheme. Concerned about the poor state of the water management and aware of their lack of management skills, the WUA turned to a private external operator for support via a public-private partnership (PPP), which involved outsourcing the water management. Initially, the PPP was funded and assisted by an international development agency. The costs are now gradually being met by the WUA and will ultimately represent 12% of the water fees collected from WUA members. An irrigation advisor was appointed on a full-time basis, and technical studies were conducted to assess the water management problems and put forward viable solutions using decision-support tools (SIMIS). At various stages, participatory meetings were organised to enable the farmers to express their opinions and to propose and discuss possible solutions. After 3 years, there was some improvement in the land occupation situation and the water distribution was more equitable in some parts, as shown by various performance indicators and a general survey. However there are limits to what water management change alone can achieve without essential infrastructural improvements. As the WUA members lacked the necessary education, effective knowledge transfer was not possible and therefore assistance on water management is likely to remain in private or State hands. The farmers, however, have indicated their satisfaction with the proposed approach and their willingness to participate in PPP-based management of the scheme.
Research center :
Université de Liège, Département Sciences et Gestion de l’Environnement, Arlon, Belgium
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Wellens, Joost ; Université de Liège - ULiège > DER Sc. et gest. de l'environnement (Arlon Campus Environ.) > DER Sc. et gest. de l'environnement (Arlon Campus Environ.)
Nitcheu, Martial; Observatoire de l'Eau - Burkina Faso
Tychon, Bernard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > DER Sc. et gest. de l'environnement (Arlon Campus Environ.) > Agrométéorologie (relation agriculture-environ. physique)
Language :
English
Title :
A public-private partnership experience in the management of an irrigation scheme using decision-support tools in Burkina Faso
Publication date :
2013
Journal title :
Agricultural Water Management
ISSN :
0378-3774
eISSN :
1873-2283
Publisher :
Elsevier Science
Volume :
116
Pages :
1-11
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
APEFE - Association pour la Promotion de l'Éducation et de la Formation à l'Étranger [BE] WBI - Wallonie-Bruxelles International [BE]
Aggarwal R.M. Possibilities and limitations to cooperation in small groups: the case of group-owned wells in Southern India. World Development 2000, 28(8):1481-1497.
Albernethy C.L., Jinapala K., Makin I.W. Assessing the opinions of users of water projects. Irrigation and Drainage 2001, 50:173-193.
Allen, R., Pereira, L.S., Raes, D., Smith, M., 1998. Crop evapotranspiration-guidelines for computing crop water requirements. Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56. FAO, Rome, Italy. p. 300.
Becu N., Neef A., Schreinemachers P., Sangkapitux C. Participatory computer simulation to support collective decision-making: potential and limits of stakeholder involvement. Land Use Policy 2008, 25:498-509.
Dembélé, Y., 1991. Etude des besoins en eau du riz irrigué dans différentes conditions pédoclimatiques du Burkina Faso. Actes semin. intern. 'L'influence du climat sur la production des cultures tropicales', Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), 23-28 September 1991. CTA Wageningen (Pays-Bas), ISESCO Rabat (Maroc). pp. 118-127.
Dembélé Y., Yacouba H., Keïta A., Sally H. Assessment of irrigation system performance in south-western Burkina Faso. Irrigation and Drainage 2011, 50(4):309-321.
Doorenbos, J., Pruitt, W.O., 1977. Crop water requirements. Irrigation and Drainage Paper 24. FAO, Rome, Italy. p. 144.
Fao, 2001. SIMIS. Scheme irrigation management information system. Version 2.0 for Windows. Sargardoy, J.A., Pastore, G., Yamashita, I., López-Cortijo, I. (Eds.), FAO Land and Water Digital Media Series No. 6. Rome, Italy.
GEeau, 2011. Elaboration des calendriers d'irrigation pour le périmètre irrigué de la Vallée du Kou à l'aide du logiciel SIMIS. (accessed 08.12.11). http://www.ge-eau.org/.
Geerts S., Raes D. Deficit irrigation as an on-farm strategy to maximize crop water productivity in dry areas. Agricultural Water Management 2009, 96(9):1275-1284.
Giordano R., Passarella G., Uricchio V.F., Vurro M. Integrating conflict analysis and consensus reaching in a decision support system for water resource management. Journal of Environmental Management 2007, 84:213-228.
IWACO/BERA, 1988. Rapport final de la mission d'appui d'étude des prélèvements d'eau entre la Guinguette et la prise de Diaradougou. Projet Vallée du Kou-Mission Néerlandaise. Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. p. 32, Annexes.
IWACO/BURGEAP, 1998. Diagnostic des grands périmètres irrigués dans le sud-ouest du Burkina Faso: Vallée du Kou-Banzon-Karfiguéla. Tome 1: Rapport général de synthèse. RESO.
IWACO/BURGEAP, 1998. Diagnostic des grands périmètres irrigués dans le sud-ouest du Burkina Faso: Vallée du Kou-Banzon-Karfiguéla. Tome 2: Vallée du Kou. RESO.
Jahromi S.S., Feyen J. Spatial and temporal variability performance of the water delivery in irrigation schemes. Irrigation and drainage Systems 2001, 15:215-233.
Kazbekov J., Abdullaev I., Manthrithilake H., Qureshi A. Evaluating planning and delivery performance of Water User Associations (WUAs) in Osh Province, Kyrgyzstan. Agricultural Water Management 2009, 96:1259-1267.
Kersten G., Concilio G. Information Technologies for Environmental Decision Making in Networked Societies 2002, (accessed 08.12.11). http://interneg.org/.
Khalkheili T.A., Zamani G.H. Farmer participation in irrigation management: the case of Doroodzan Dam Irrigation Network, Iran. Agricultural Water Management 2009, 96:859-865.
Lahcen O., 2000. Exploitation et entretien des réseaux d'irrigation du périmètre irrigué de la Vallée du Kou. Programme spécial pour la sécurité alimentaire, FAO-Maroc-Burkina Faso. p. 52.
Levine, G., 1982. Relative Water Supply: An Explanatory Variable for Irrigation Systems. Technical Report No. 6. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
Lozano D., Mateos L. Usefulness and limitations of decision support systems for improving irrigation scheme management. Agricultural Water Management 2008, 95:409-418.
Mateos L., Lopez-Cortijo I., Sagardoy J.A. SIMIS: the FAO decision support system for irrigation scheme management. Agricultural Water Management 2002, 56(3):193-206.
Meinzen-Dick R., Raju K.V., Gulati A. What affects organization and collective action for managing resources? Evidence form canal irrigation systems in India. World Development 2002, 30(4):649-666.
Molden D.J., Gates T.K. Performances measures for evaluation of irrigation water delivery systems. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage 1990, 116:804-823.
Nelson, E.N., 2011. Performance indicators for irrigation canal system managers or water users associations. p. 12. (accessed 08.12.11). http://www.inpim.org/.
Nitcheu, M.N., Midekor, A., Sawadogo, B., Wellens, J., 2010. Rapport campagnes de suivi des rendements à la Vallée du Kou: saison humide 2009 et saison sèche 2010. p. 11. (accessed 08.12.11). http://www.ge-eau.org/.
Nkhoma B.G., Wapulumuka O., Mulwafu O. The experience of irrigation management transfer in two irrigation schemes in Malawi, 1960-2002. Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 2004, 29:1327-1333.
Ouédraogo, S., 1993. Analyse économique de l'allocation des facteurs de production dans les exploitations rizicoles de la Vallée du Kou. CNRST/INERA. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. p. 61.
Raiffa H., Richardson J., Metcalfe D. Negotiation Analysis 2002, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
Sakthivadivel R., Merrey D.J., Fernando N. Cumulative relative water supply: a methodology for assessing irrigation system performance. Irrigation and Drainage Systems 1993, 7:43-67.
Smith, M., 1992. CROPWAT: a computer program for irrigation planning and management. Irrigation and Drainage Paper 46. FAO, Rome, Italy. p. 126.
Subramanian, A., Jagannathan, N.V., Meinzen-Dick, R., 1997. User Organizations for Sustainable Water Services. World Bank Technical Paper No. 354. The World Bank, Washington, DC, p. 155.
Unal H.B., Asik S., Avci M., Yasar S., Akkuzu E. Performance of water delivery system at tertiary canal level: a case study of the Menemen Left Bank Irrigation System. Agricultural Water Management 2004, 65(3):173-191.
Uysal Ö.K., Atiş E. Assessing the performance of participatory management over time: a case study from Turkey. Agricultural Water Management 2010, 97:1017-1025.
Valfrey, B., Diallo, M., 2004. Etat des lieux et perspectives pour l'eau et l'assainissement: Burkina Faso. Livre Bleu. Le Secrétariat International de l'Eau, Montréal, Canada. p. 42.
Vandersypen K., Bengaly K., Keita A.C.T., Sidibe S., Raes D., Jamin J.Y. Irrigation performance at tertiary level in the rice schemes of the Office du Niger (Mali): adequate water delivery through over-supply. Agricultural Water Management 2006, 83:144-152.
Vermillion D.L. Guide to Monitoring and Evaluation of Irrigation Management Transfer 2000, JIID/INPIM, USA.
Wellens, J., Compaoré, N.F., 2003. Renforcement de la capacité de gestion des ressources en eau dans l'agriculture moyennant des outils de suivi-évaluation. Rapport Annuel Nr. 1. K.U. Leuven, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, p. 123. (accessed 08.12.11). http://www.ge-eau.org/.
Wellens, J., Diallo, M., Compaoré, N.F., Derouane, J., Tychon, B., 2007. Renforcement structurel de la capacité de gestion des ressources en eau pour l'agriculture dans le bassin du Kou. Rapport Technique 1 (2005-2006). APEFE-WBI, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. p. 128. (accessed 08.12.11). http://www.ge-eau.org/.
Wellens, J., Diallo, M., Compaoré, N.F., Derouane, J., Tychon, B., 2009. Renforcement structurel de la capacité de gestion des ressources en eau pour l'agriculture dans le bassin du Kou. Rapport Technique 2 (2007-2008). APEFE-WBI, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. p. 131. (accessed 08.12.11). http://www.ge-eau.org/.
World Bank (2007). Emerging Public-Private Partnerships in Irrigation Development and Management. Water Sector Board Discussion Paper Series. Paper No. 10. The World Bank, Washington, DC, p. 50.
