Methods to Achieve Efficient and Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture through Farmer Participatory Irrigation Management in Developing Countries

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K06288
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 41030:Rural environmental engineering and planning-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Ishii Atsushi 筑波大学, 生命環境系, 教授 (90222926)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 灌漑管理 / 水田 / 水利組織 / 水利費 / 開発途上国

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I sought the actual situation of water allocation management of a farmer-participatory democratic irrigation water use organization in a newly developed large-scale paddy irrigation district in the Republic of Uganda, a developing country, and examined the conditions for irrigation management to achieve equitable and efficient water use.
It was found that the number of rice paddies with unstable water supply increased in farmer-participatory irrigation districts and the yield of the entire district decreased by about 10% compared to top-down irrigation management districts. It was also found that water supply was unstable downstream at both the trunk and branch canal levels, resulting in stagnant yields. It was also argued that water allocation consultations among subordinate water users could encourage cooperation among farmers in the water users' organizations and realize equal water allocation for the entire district.

Free Research Field

農業工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

開発途上国では食料不足問題対策として大規模水田灌漑事業が行われているが、水利施設建設後の灌漑用水の配水管理が不十分で、灌漑投資に対して十分な生産物を得られていない。
本研究は灌漑地区内の3000以上ある水田群の不平等な配水状況を、面的に推定した初めての研究で、灌漑管理問題解決に必須の基本データを提供している。また、日本の灌漑管理組織との比較等により、灌漑地区内の下位の水路レベルの水利組織同士が配水について協議することで、下位の水利組織内の農民の協力関係が強化され、地区全体の平等配水が実現する可能性を論じており、今後の途上国の灌漑開発に有益な研究成果をあげている。