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A case for professionalization of water management in irrigation projects in India
Author(s) -
Jayaraman T. K.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
public administration and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-162X
pISSN - 0271-2075
DOI - 10.1002/pad.4230010305
Subject(s) - staffing , professionalization , irrigation , agriculture , work (physics) , investment (military) , distribution (mathematics) , irrigation management , production (economics) , business , water resource management , economics , management , political science , engineering , geography , sociology , environmental science , social science , mathematics , archaeology , macroeconomics , mechanical engineering , ecology , mathematical analysis , politics , law , biology
The heavy investment in irrigation in India has not brought the expected benefits and this article argues first that a major difficulty arises from the way irrigated water is administered. The distribution of water is controlled by irrigation engineers who lack the knowledge and information to manage water in a way that maximizes agricultural production and achieves the confidence of farmers. The staffing structure and related professional values discourage the development of a new more appropriate specialism. The article goes on to argue that a new organization of work and associated staffing structure is needed which will encourage a new professional specialization bringing together staff and expertise currently dispersed in separate specialisms in engineering, agronomy and other aspects of agriculture.