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Low Coverage of Irrigation by Pumps in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects for Improvement

Md. Rezaul Karim
Urban and Rural Planning Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna-9208, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Bangladesh is predominantly an agricultural country. About 7.5 million acres of land are irrigated which comprise about 20 per cent of the total cultivable land. The average productivity of rice at present is slightly above a half ton per acre. It is generally accepted that to increase the productivity of rice and other crops e.g. wheat and vegetables, irrigation facilities require to be extended with effective operational measures and management system. Irrigation through Deep tube well, Shallow tube well and Low-lift pumps constitute a major share (65 percent). In the past, capacity utilization of pumps and tube wells could not be achieved due to a number of problems, causing low coverage of irrigation. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the existing irrigation system and find out the factors responsible for low coverage by pumps. It is observed that the low coverage and poor performance of the irrigation projects are due to technological inefficiency, socio -economic constraints and lack of guidance by responsible authorities. A number of government and semi-government agencies are involved in the whole process but are not well coordinated among them. The government of Bangladesh has adopted a number of good policies to improve the irrigation method. These, however, have not been resulted any substantial improvement in the system due to a wide gap between national and local level administrat ion. Corruptions at the filed level associated with lack of monitoring facilities have been an obstacle to achieve the expected result. It is therefore assumed that coordination among the various government and semi-government agencies responsible for irrigation activities is necessary to establish and effective linkage between the national and local bodies.

Keywords: Low coverage; Irrigation; Pump; Improvement

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Command area development

Objectives:

The broad objective of the study is to find out the present status of irrigation command areas by different pumps and tubes wells in different regions of Bangladesh. The specific objectives of the study are – i) to identify the factors responsible for low coverage of irrigation by pumps and tube wells; ii) to evaluate the major factors responsible for low coverage and; iii) to suggest possible measures for improvements.

Methodology:

The study was conducted in the two different Thana namely: Sonargaon of Naryanganj District and Manikgonj of Manikgong District. Thakurgaon Deep tube well Irrigation project also included in this study to compare with the other two Thana irrigation projects. Three categories of irrigation equipment were considered in the study, such as, Deep Tube Well (DTW), Shallow Tube Well (STW) and Low Lift Pumps (LLP)

Source of Information: Khulna University Studies, June 1999, 1(1): 36 -41

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

In order to improve the irrigation, scheme care should be taken to utilize the limited resources in an efficient manner ascertaining the actual problem before installation of the pumps and tube wells. To do so, the local knowledge and ideas require to be incorporated with the available technical skill in the government agency. By doing so, the issue of low coverage of irrigation by pumps and tube wells may be handled fairly and thus the situation may significantly improve.

Therefore, to bring a positive change in the existing situation, the mentality of the social elite class will have to be changed and preferential institutional support for irrigation facility should be emphasized for the small farmers who are found to be more productive. In order to bringing about subsistence, small farmers should have proportional representation in the selection of irrigation committee. The institutional support and assistance will be required for adopting such measures to increase the irrigation area and to intensify the irrigation activities with the sincerity of the management authority and rationality in the approach of the undertaking and implementing the scheme. It is therefore assumed that coordination among the various government and semi-government agencies responsible for irrigation activities is necessary to establish an effective linkage between the national and local bodies. Thana administrative bodies may perform the most vital role in improving the irrigation method and irrigation system within the Thana under the guidance of the Thana Irrigation Committee (TIC) as suggested in this study. The Thana Irrigation Committee may seek necessary assistance from the District and National irrigation Committees for any problems to be encountered for the development, or for the improvement of the irrigation project.

Knowledge Management: Journal