ESTABLISHING A MECHANISM FOR SHARING WATER

AT LOCAL LEVEL BY A PARTICIPATORY ACTION

RESEARCH

Pham Huu Ty, Huynh Van Chuong, Nguyen Hoang Khanh Linh, Tran Thi Phuong, Duong Quoc Non

Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam

Phnom Penh, 21-23/2015

Presentation structure

1.  Introduction 2. Research design and methodology 3. Main results 4. Lessons learnt

1. Introduction •  In Vietnam, inadequacy of water resources is an important problem

expecting to increase in light of climate change and drought. •  The farmers in the province of Quang Nam experience water shortage in the

cultivation of paddy in the summer-autumn season. •  A water resource management policy has not been fully implemented at

local level. •  Conflicts arise regarding the sharing of the water, and some farmers turned

to other crops. •  The question is then whether a mechanism at local level can be developed

for water sharing?

Research objectives §  General objective: To address the irrigation water shortage of the summer-

autumn rice production under climate change-induced drought by establishing a mechanism for sharing water equitably by applying an participatory action research approach

§  Specific objectives: ▫  To indentify the situation of irrigation water shortage in the summer-autumn rice

production season and conflicts over water resources among different stakeholders and development sectors

▫  To analyze the roles and importance of relevant stakeholders in managing water resources for rice production and solving the current conflicts over irrigation water

▫  To establish and evaluate the efficiencies and impacts of the water sharing mechanism in Dai Loc district, Quang Nam province

Selection of the study site

Dai Loc district •  18 communes •  Total natural area:

58,708.86 ha •  Agriculture land: 73.76 % of

total natural area. •  Topography: hilly and

lowland •  Drought hazard: occurs in

dry season •  Strong effect to agriculture

production

2. Research design and methods

•  Study approach: the participatory action research between ACCU-research team and different stakeholders in Dai Loc district has been put into practice

§ Research tools: ▫  Secondary data

collection ▫  Participatory GIS

mapping ▫  Stakeholder analysis

t o o l s ( p o w e r m a p p i n g m a t r i x , Venn diagram, and FGDs, PRA – crop a n d i r r i g a t i o n calendars; problem and solution trees)

2d. Research design and methods (continued…)

▫  Field observations ▫  H y d r o l o g i c

measurement (simple technique to estimate water flow discharges of canals and rivers) ▫  W o r k s h o p s

(consensus building a n d e v a l u a t i o n workshops) ▫  K e y i n f o r m a t i o n

interviews (irrigation workers of agricultural cooperatives)

3. Main findings

3a. Irrigation system mapping and drought evaluation

IRRIGATION SYSTEM MAP

IRRIGATION ZONING MAP

PARTICIPATORY DROUGHT MAP

y = 0.8822x + 44.83

y = -1.8765x + 554.02

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

0.0 100.0 200.0 300.0 400.0 500.0 600.0 700.0 800.0 900.0

1000.0

Ric

e pr

oduc

tivi

ty (

tons

/ha)

Rai

nfal

l (m

m)

Years

Rice productivity Rainfall Linear (Rice productivity) Linear (Rainfall)

Water requirement

periods From 7-10/5 15/5-20/5 From

23-25/5 From 7-10/6

From 8/6 -25/8 After 25/8

Irrigation timing

Irrigation for soil

preparation (đổ bệ)

Sowing First irrigation

after sowing

Second irrigation

after sowing

Every 5-days

irrigation

No irrigation

Drought situation

Fairly severe Severe Very severe

No need

Crop and irrigation calendar

Drought of rice fields in Dai Quang commune

Decreasing water quantity of Tho and

Mo upstreams

Forest degradation

Increasing temperature

Incomplete irrigation

system

Lack of finance to build more

canals

Water conflicts

Lack of mechanism to

share water among

stakeholders

Used for many

purposes at the same

period

Low awareness of irrigation water

management

Not trained Reluctant

to change

PROBLEM TREE OF DROUGHT IN DAI QUANG COMMUNE

3b. Stakeholder analysis related to water management and conflicts

Case 1: Water conflicts in Suoi Mo (2 communes)

•  Hydropower vs. irrigation

•  Dai Quang vs. Dai Dong commune (between two communes)

•  Drinking vs. irrigation

•  Case 1: Water management and conflicts in Suoi Mo– relevant stakeholders: − District People’s Committee − Dai Quang and Dai Loc People’s

Committee − Suoi Mo hydropower company − Drinking water center of Quang

Nam province − Farmers of 2 communes − Agricultural Cooperatives of 2

communes

Case 2: Water conflict of Suoi Tho (within Dai Quang commune)

•  Drinking supply vs. irrigation for rice production during summer-autumn season

•  Case 2: Water management and conflicts in Suoi Tho – relevant stakeholders:

− Dai Quang Commune People’s Committee − Drinking water center of Quang

Nam province − Farmers of two villages: My An

and Tam Hoa − Agricultural Cooperative of Dai

Quang commune − Irrigation workers of two

villages

3c. Establishing mechanisms for sharing water in Suoi Mo and Tho •  Case 1: The mechanism of sharing water in Suoi Mo

Wat

er m

anag

emen

t and

c

ontr

ol b

oard

WATER CONTROLLING-MANAGEMENT BOARD AT MO STREAM 1. Head of agriculture and rural development - Leader; 2.Chairman of Dai Quang Commune People’s Committee – Vice Leader; 3. Chairman of Dai Dong Commune People’s Committee – Vice Leader; 4.Director of Mo stream hydropower - Vice Leader; 5.Irrigational Official – Member; 6. Chairman of the Board of Dai Quang Cooperatives - Member; 7. Chairman of the Board of Dai Dong

Water Regulating Team in Mo Stream, Dai Quang 1. Vice Chairman of Cooperatives - Leader; 2.Water supply manager of Cooperatives – Vice Leader; 3. Water-worker (Tri de)– Member; 4. Water-worker (Tri de)– Member; 5. Water-worker (Tri de)– Member Water Regulating Team in Mo Stream, Dai Dong 1. Vice Chairman of Cooperatives - Leader; 2.Water supply manager of Cooperatives - Vice Leader; 3. Water-worker (Tri de)– Member; 4. Water-worker (Tri de)– Member; 5. Water-worker (Tri de) – Member; 6. Water-worker (Tri de)– Member.

Water sharing mechanism at Mo Stream in 2015 - Hydropower still use water for electricity generation, but water in the division of water........

Case 2: The mechanism of sharing water in Suoi Tho W

ater

man

agem

ent a

nd

cont

rol t

eam

in S

uoi T

ho

1. Vice Chairman of Dai Quang Commune People’s Committee –Leader; 2. Director of the Board of Dai Quang Cooperatives - Vice leader; 3. Representative of drinking water company – Vice leader; 4. Water supply service staff of Cooperatives - Member; 5. Leader of My An village, – Member; 6. Leader of Tam Hoa village – Member; 7. Water-worker at My An village – Member; 8. Water-worker at Tam Hoa village – Member. + Water sharing mechanism at Tho Stream in 2015 - On the time of water shortage, the drinking water company must refrain from taking water, and give priority to agriculture for using the water of Tho stream. They agree to follow the Commune People’s Committee’s demand...............

3d. Implementing the mechanism

▫  Making plan to response to drought ▫  Adjusting the crop and irrigation schedule ▫  Making decisions to ask drinking water and hydropower

company to share water for agriculture ▫  Reporting farmers to store water for domestic use during

drought period ▫  Building teamwork among members of the boards ▫  Recording rainfall and temperature data

3e. Monitoring and evaluating the mechanism •  The director of Dai Quang agriculture cooperative confirmed at the

evaluation workshop in 2015:

“The water sharing mechanism was effective to control water used for irrigation and drinking. Most farmers agreed to stop using water from Tho stream for domestic use in order to supply their rice fields. The drinking water company operated properly as regulated by the mechanism. There was no conflict between irrigation workers and operators of the drinking water company in 2015”.

• One farmer assured:

“Rice is very important for us, and for that reason water must be prioritized to rice fields before using for domestic use. I think that the water sharing mechanism worked well to deal with the problem of drought. I applied different ways to store water before the drinking water was shut down as scheduled, such as using water from underground water pumps, storing water from Tho stream by water tanks”

4. Lessons learnt •  The process of participatory action research applied in this study:

5 main factors “Scientific knowledge + local knowledge + commitment of relevant stakeholders to act + sustainable financial source

+ willingness of local government”

a sustainable solution for conducting participatory action researches

Thank you for your attention!

Acknowledgment: Our team strongly appreciate the financial support by ACCCU project, NUFFIC