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Asia's Irrigation Management in Transition: A Paradigm Shift Faces High Transaction Costs
Author(s) -
Easter K. William
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
applied economic perspectives and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.4
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 2040-5804
pISSN - 2040-5790
DOI - 10.1111/1058-7195.00028
Subject(s) - paradigm shift , transaction cost , transition (genetics) , irrigation , database transaction , business , east asia , economics , geography , finance , computer science , china , database , ecology , biology , philosophy , biochemistry , chemistry , archaeology , epistemology , gene
Many water management problems have arisen in past Asian irrigation projects. They have been characterized as a vicious cycle involving the lack of maintenance, poor irrigation service, low rates of fee collection, inadequate institutional arrangements, and lack of user participation. This article argues that we have generally agreed on a strategy to address these problems and asks whether or not the strategy is being implemented effectively. A review of the irrigation record of six countries in Asia (including India and China) shows that they have implemented several of the key irrigation management reforms but that high transaction costs have delayed reform.