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An Investigation of Groundwater Irrigation and Command Area Management Issues in Bangladesh

M. Wakilur Rahman
Northwest A&F University, China

Mohammad Razu Ahmed
Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services Dhaka, Bangladesh

Rayhan Hayat Sarwer
Bangladesh Agricultural University Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The site of the present study is an intensively irrigated area in the central part of Bangladesh, which falls in the middle part of Indo-Gangetic basin region. Five adjacent villages were selected in which the entire irrigation system mainly depends on Shallow Tubewell (STW) technology. A total of 64 irrigation equipment owners and 100 water buyers were selected for this empirical study. The majority (55 percent) of the STW owners run their management activities through partnership arrangements. The management of STW operation by joint owners was found to be more efficient compared to management by single owners. Also a majority (66 percent) of the owners was found to possess higher social statuses who actively engage in local social institutions. These indigenous social institutions have played an important role in solving conflicts for settling and resettling command areas, for resolving conflict among owners and between water buyers and sellers; and finally for sustaining command area management for groundwater irrigation during the last three decades. The indigenous social institutions also contribute to preserving common interest particularly for settling land use and cropping patterns in the study areas.

Keywords: Groundwater Irrigation, Command Area Management, Indigenous Social Institution

Location: In Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Groundwater, Command area development

Objectives:

Therefore, sustaining the groundwater markets and a growing groundwater-based irrigation economy is critical for food security as well as for lifting millions of poor farmers out of poverty (Zahid, 2005). The present study examines the groundwater irrigation market and command area management by the indigenous social institution in contemporary Bangladesh.

Methodology:

The study site is an intensively irrigated area in the central part of Bangladesh, which falls under the middle part of the Indo-Gangetic basin region. The entire irrigation system of the area mainly depends on shallow tube well (STW) technology. The STWs are small irrigation wells having discharge capacities of 12-15 lt/sec with maximum depths of 40-60m and well diameter of 100-150 mm.

Both STW owners and irrigators (water buyers) were chosen as samples for this study. Complete survey technique was used and data were collected from 64 STW owners. Two-stage stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data from 100 irrigators (water buyers). So, a total of 164 samples (64 STW owners and 100 water buyers) were used for this study. Data on groundwater level were collected from two observation wells maintained by the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in the close proximity of the study area.

Primary data were collected through two sets of interview schedules from STW owners and water buyers during January to February, 2008. The secondary data were collected from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), Bangladesh Economic Review (BER), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS) and the Department of Land Records and Surveys (DLRS). Sample statistical techniques were applied to present data in a meaningful way.

Source of Information: Journal of Knowledge Globalization, Vol.4, No.1, 2011

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Groundwater market in Bangladesh has developed/grown significantly all over the Bangladesh except in the constraint areas such as arsenic prone area, coastal belt and hilly areas. This growth was possible because of the withdrawal of government restriction and encouragement from private sector as well as the availability of groundwater resources. Farmers own STW on single or partnership basis and the management activities also performed jointly. The STW owners sold water to the farmers for their respective command area at the rate of ¼ crop share though different payment system practiced in other regions. The output sharing system was superior to other payment systems for irrigation because the STW owners become more careful about watering the plots regularly. Some conflicts or misunderstanding among the partners, owners and water buyers were exist in STW business operations. A greater extent of conflict appeared for new STW entrepreneurs in irrigation business, particularly for reallocating or relocating command areas.

Misunderstandings and conflicts are handled and mitigated by local institutions (eg., samaj) with participation of stakeholders from different gusthi (lineage). As local social institutions have been playing an important role towards dispute settlement and command area management in the study areas, the role of the existing indigenous social institutions should be fully understood and utilized. Furthermore, studies should be undertaken in different of parts of Bangladesh for a better understanding the role of local social institutions and towards sustainable groundwater irrigation management in the country.

Knowledge Management: Journal