Workshop 1 - Water management for sustainable agriculture

Abstract

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCE OF TURKEY IN PARTICIPATORY IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT BY TRANSFERRING MANAGEMENT TO USERS.

Mr. Savas USKAY - Head, Dpt of Operation & Maintenance of DSI (State Hydraulic Works) - TURKEY

The total area of the country is 78.8 mha of which 27.7 mha are agricultural land. Of the above total agricultural land, 8.5 mha are potentially irrigable.

As of end of September 1996, a total of 4.5 mha have been developed in Turkey. Of this, State Hydraulic Works (DSI) has developed 2.0 mha, mainly under large schemes, General Directorate of Rural Services (GDRS), which has responsibility for on-farm development and some minor irrigation works, has developed 0.9 mha as minor schemes, and farmers and others have developed 1 mha. DSI has successfully initiated the process of participatory management through establishing Water Users' Groups (WUGs) and transfer, a considerable area of 0.6 mha that is fully managed by DSI, or jointly with WUGs, is still subject to accelerated transfer.

Before 1993, DSI focus was on transferring only small and isolated schemes. This policy on transferring irrigation schemes was guided primarily by the concern that is was remote and irrational for DSI to manage such schemes. However, since 1993 in view of the many reasons, and with encouragement of the World Bank, DSI's policy has shifted from transferring only the above small and isolated schemes to an accelerated approach of also transferring large schemes.

The total area of fully transferred schemes had merely reached 62,000 ha by mid-1993. Progress has been remarkable after that. An area of around 10,000 ha has been immediately transferred until the end of 1993 and an additional area of 1,100,000 ha was transferred successfully by October 1996. Therefore, the cumulative total will reach 1,200,000 ha.

Transfer of each ha of irrigated land to users reduces the need for the government 0 & M expenditures and the related cost recovery. Water User Organizations (WUOs) have generally demonstrated the ability to operate and maintain the systems satisfactorily through recruiting required staff, buying urgently needed transportation and communication equipment, assessing and collecting water fees, and substantially improving water delivery.