Comparative Analysis Case Studies of Tunisia, Turkey,Yemen and Egypt Decentralization and Participatory Irrigation Management Dr. Bayoumi Attia Consultant to IDRC Water Demand Management Forum Cairo (Feb. 2-4, 2003)

Presentation Outline Challenges in Water Management Decentralization Concepts Case Studies Basic Data Water Resources and requirements Best Practices Comparative Analysis General Overview

Lack of awareness of regional experiences Lack of necessary information Lack of Government Financial Support Lack of Involvement Of Private Sector Misuse of resources through lack of awareness Lack of appreciation of consumer capacity in decision-making Inappropriate and unapplied planning and policy making Lack of links to international expertise Lack of Investment in Sector Low Involvement of Consumer level and other stakeholders Centralized but fragmented planning and decision-making Difficulty to apply good management practices and principles Ineffective local integrated water resource management High water wastage Frequent Contamination of water resources by sewage, fertilizers & pesticides Water Shortage in some irrigation areas Stalinization &declining crop yields from rising water levels Low access to safe reliable piped water and safe sanitation Cause Effect Problem Tree Lack of necessary information

Decentralization!!! Decentralization in the water sector occurs in the form of creating autonomous and financially self-dependent utility type organizations for the provision of water services. Urban water sector decentralization have often taken the form of privatization while user participation is linked to decentralization in irrigation sector.

While WHILE all countries are actively promoting user organization as indispensable necessity for improving their water sector performance ….. only a few countries have developed the incentive structures and the institutional structures and the institutional mechanisms essential for sustaining user participation. WHILE the paradigmatic change in water sector logically leads to decentralization the latter opens the door for privatization and user participation.

Case Studies Basic Data EgyptTunisiaTurkeyYemen Total area of the country (ha) 100,145,00016,361,00077,945,00052,797,000 Total cultivable area (ha) 4,435,0008,700,00028,054,0003,617,753 Total agricultural area (ha) 3,246,0004,254,00020,480,0001,199,104 Irrigation potential (ha) 1,200,0004,435, ,507 Total Population (inhabitants) 62,931,0008,896,00067,800,00014,501,000

Water Resources EgyptTunisiaTurkeyYemen Conventional Resources Annual rainfall Surface runoff Deep GW Non-conventional Resources Shallow GW5.00 Drainage reuse4.50 Treated wastewater Desalinated water Per capita share (m3/yr)

Annual Water Requirement in BCM

Case Studies Countries Best Practices in Participatory Water Management

Turkey Accelerated Transfer Program Before1993, The focus was on transferring only small scale projects DSI encouraged farmers to form WUGs for minor O&M In 1993, DSI started the accelerated transfer program Considerable training in-shore and offshore was made Stimulate friendly competition among various regions Total area transferred to WUOs increased from M ha in 1992 to 1.67 M ha in 2002 Total number of WUOs increased since 1993 to reach 697 organization in 2002 in 1992 DSI was operated 96% of the irrigation system while in 2002 it only operated 13.4%

Tunisia Structural Adjustment Program Up to 1970, Management of irrigation areas was undertaken by two gov. bodies In 1986, the Structure Adjustment Program was launched including the Water Sector In 1989, merger of the two gov. bodies managing irrig. areas in one single body The idea of CIA/AIC was reactivated and institutional organization was adopted Law and its three supporting decrees issued to officially denomination of CIA/AICs in 1990, a national strategy for the establishment and follow up of CIA/AICs was laid down and implemented in 8 Governorates with assistance from KFW By 2006, all irrigated areas should be under community management

Formalization of User Participation in Egypt In 1981, MWRI initiated the IMS project In 1987, IIP project was added as component to the IMS project IIP established WUAs on Mesqa Level Establishment of the Irrigation Improvement Sector (IIS) Issue Law 12 in 1994 to provide Legal framework for WUAs In 1995, Establishment the First experimental WB at Branch Canals Establishment the Water Boards project to develop a viable national policy and Legal framework for WB development Establishment of Collectors Users Associations (CUAs) for O&M the tile drainage networks.

Yemen Irrigation Improvement Project Yemen has a long tradition of community managed spate irrigation The gov. adopted the concept of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) in Spat Irrigation in Jan 2001, the IIP launched phase 1 and IDA Credit N YEM become active to ensure the sustainability of spate irrigation scheme The Regional Development Authorities (RDAs) was established as fully authorized planning and implementing agency Two committees were established recently to participate in planning and implementing drinking water supply and irrigation projects Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation authorizes some of its responsibilities to its branches In Feb. 2000, the Local Authorities Law no 4/2000 has been enacted The Water Law has been issued by mid 2002 which is support the establishment of WUAs

Comparative Analysis

Participation Approach In Water Management Technical Implication Institutional Implications Legal Aspects Social Impacts Economic Impacts Health and Environment Implications of User Participation in Irrigation Management

Technical Aspect EgyptTunisiaTurkeyYemen Size of area served by WUO feddans (mesqa) feddans (branch canal) 1000 ha1,523,395 ha (Total area for 297 WUAs) ha Efficiency increase Raised by 30%- 40% Raised by about 48% Hydraulic worksOne lifting point Elevated or piped mesqa Energy consumption Pumping hours reduced by 50%-60% Energy price reduced by % Technical implication of users participation

Technical implications of Users participation Mostly operation and maintenance activities Improved irrigation systems Small or medium size area Irrigation (water use) efficiency increases significantly Energy consumption decreases

Economic impacts of users participation Farmers share O&M cost Reduced operational costs mainly energy costs Reduced maintenance costs Farmers are charged for the irrigation service not for the water except in Tunisia Governments pay costs for O&M of the main irrigation system and major structures

Social impacts of users participation Sense of responsibility in all O&M activities Cooperation instead of conflict Task schedule according to chairman ’ s decision Higher agricultural productivity result in better living standards

Institutional and administrative implications WUAs are established for areas with similar characteristics (one canal, one well, etc.) Members are elected not appointed A chairman is elected to administer WUA and an accountant to supervise the financial activities of WUA Specific link has to be established with the government through the chairman to raise questions and inquiries and ask for advice from technical staff (e.g. IAS, Egypt, ADRC/CRDA, Tunisia, DSI, Turkey)

Activity EgyptTunisiaTurkeyYemen Water policy formulation Planning Design Implementation Operation Maintenance Monitoring and evaluation Fund raising Institutional and administrative implications Typically, monitoring and evaluation is carried out by the government agencies only

Legal aspects of users participation Laws for establishment of WUAs in Egypt (1994), Tunisia (1999), Yemen (1998) In Turkey, Municipal Act 1580 for WUAs establishment Regulation of WUAs functions are provided through other laws, regulations and decrees Penalties are charged for improper system operation

Health and environmental impacts of WUAs Water savings as a result of higher use efficiency Resource protection and conservation It is expected that higher production leads to higher farmer income and better health service (not documented)

There are General consensus of the importance of the Participatory Approach in water management. There are different forms of Decentralizations have been implemented with different level of success There are economical and social benefits resulted from the participatory approach in water management General Overview

Issues Need Further Improvement Lack of proper information Lack of Legal Framework to organize the establishment and operation of the WUOs The role and responsibilities of the different stakeholders Lack of Monitoring and Evaluation Procedures The relation between the WUOs and the Governmental Authorities The adaptation of the government authorities to cope with Decentralized water management

Thank you Dr.Bayoumi Attia