Premium
Governance of irrigation systems: Does history offer lessons for today?
Author(s) -
Abernethy Charles L.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
irrigation and drainage
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.421
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1531-0361
pISSN - 1531-0353
DOI - 10.1002/ird.552
Subject(s) - corporate governance , sustainability , principal (computer security) , state (computer science) , political science , irrigation , business , economics , development economics , economic system , finance , computer science , algorithm , operating system , ecology , biology
At the present time, a large change in the governance of irrigation systems is being attempted in many countries, especially the developing ones, involving an increase in the extent of self‐governance. The objectives of this vary, but almost always include reducing the budgetary burden on the state. This paper interprets what governance means, in the form of five principal components, and proposes three principal impacts that we should seek in the evaluation of good governance. Some historical examples illustrating state governance and self‐governance types are reviewed and contrasted. Since about 1850, there has been a huge increase in the extent of state governance. The current wave of projects for irrigation management transfer reflects a feeling that the financial burden on the state has, in many countries, become excessive, leading to deterioration of systems' performance and sustainability. This effect is, at least in part, due to the arrival in the 1960s of the international development aid system, which is much more ready to finance the creation or expansion of irrigation than the subsequent running costs. The transition that is now being attempted, involving some return to self‐governance, is difficult. Historians of irrigation are urged to seek past examples that may be helpful in indicating how to achieve this result. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.