Research Article

From central control to service delivery? reflections on irrigation management and expertise†‡

  1. Maurits W. Ertsen*

Article first published online: 20 FEB 2009

DOI: 10.1002/ird.476

Issue

Irrigation and Drainage

Irrigation and Drainage

Supplement: Special Issue on Water for Food and Poverty Alleviation

Volume 58, Issue Supplement 1, pages S87–S103, February 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Ertsen, M. W. (2009), From central control to service delivery? reflections on irrigation management and expertise. Irrigation and Drainage, 58: S87–S103. doi: 10.1002/ird.476

Author Information

  1. Water Resources/Water Management Group, Department of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands

*Water Resources/Water Management Group, Department of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology. P.O. Box 5048, 2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands.

  1. †

    This paper has been written as a combined response to three different demands made on the author. A first demand came from the editors of the journal to prepare an overview on irrigation management, on the occasion of the 5th World Water Forum to be held in Istanbul in 2009. A second demand came from the current chairman of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, Peter Lee, who asked during an ICID meeting in Sacramento, USA, in October 2007, what more ICID could do on modernization than the Food and Agricultural Organization had proposed in its MASSCOTE approach (Renault et al., 2007). The third demand cannot be attributed to a single person, but comes from the re-merging attention on irrigation development, especially in Africa, within the international community (World Bank, 2007).

  2. ‡

    Du contrôle centralisé à la gestion d'un service? Réflexions sur la gestion de l'irrigation et l'expertise en irrigation.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 20 FEB 2009
  2. Article first published online: 20 FEB 2009
  3. Manuscript Received: 17 NOV 2008
  4. Manuscript Accepted: 17 NOV 2008

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Keywords:

  • modernization;
  • engineering knowledge;
  • farmer intervention;
  • service delivery
  • modernisation;
  • connaissance des ingénieurs;
  • intervention des agriculteurs;
  • gestionnaire du service

Abstract

The demand upon irrigated agriculture to modernize to improve productivity is increasing. This paper defines some of the key challenges the irrigation experts face in responding to this societal demand on irrigation, with a focus on water delivery. Histories of management and design in irrigation engineering still influence current perceptions of irrigation, although new ideas from research have influenced the ways irrigation management has developed in the last 30 years. Currently, modernization of irrigation is understood as transforming irrigation management to enable it to serve the demands of farmers. The position of irrigation experts changed from being the main person responsible for an entire production system to being a service-oriented manager. Taking into account farmer demand and responses to water deliveries is still a challenge for many agencies. The paper argues that, even though farmer interventions are not always appropriate, farmer interventions are to be taken as standard in irrigation. Engineers should ensure that systems deliver what is asked for, through selecting physical components within a clearly defined operational strategy. Such a service-oriented approach demands irrigation experts with high technical qualifications in hydraulics and hydrology. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

La demande de modernisation de l'agriculture irriguée pour améliorer la productivité augmente. Cet article présente quelques-uns des principaux défis auxquels les experts en irrigation sont confrontés pour répondre à la demande de la société, en mettant l'accent sur la distribution de l'eau. L'histoire de l'ingénierie de l'irrigation a encore une influence sur la conception et la gestion de l'irrigation, bien que, depuis trente ans, de nouvelles idées issues de la recherche aient permis la mise au point des nouvelles pratiques de gestion. Désormais la modernisation de l'irrigation est comprise comme la transformation de la gestion de l'irrigation pour lui permettre de répondre à la demande des agriculteurs. L'expert n'est plus en position de principal responsable de l'ensemble du système mais de gestionnaire axée sur le service. Prendre en compte la demande des agriculteurs et leurs réponses à la fourniture d'eau est toujours un défi pour de nombreux organismes. L'article fait valoir que, même si les interventions de l'agriculteur ne sont pas toujours appropriées, ce sont elles qui doivent être prises comme norme en irrigation. Les ingénieurs doivent veiller à ce que les systèmes délivrent ce qui est demandé, en choisissant les composants physiques dans une stratégie opérationnelle clairement définie. Cette approche axée sur le service demande des experts hautement qualifiés en hydraulique et en hydrologie. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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