The Expert Consultation on ‘Modernization of Irrigation Schemes - Past Experiences and Future Options’, was held in Bangkok from 26 to 29 November, 1996. The Consultation was attended by 9 country representatives, 7 resources persons from International Organizations and Institutes, 5 representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and 30 observers from the Royal Irrigation Department and other International Organizations located in Thailand.
It is well known that a major part of the world’s population as well as the irrigated areas are located in the Asian region. Management of irrigation systems has become crucial both for sustaining food production and at the same time prevent environmental degradation. In the recent past, several rehabilitation programmes and projects have been carried out in many countries of the Asian region. However, it has become clear now that only rehabilitation is not enough and irrigation schemes need to be organized and adjusted to respond to the changing socio-economic environment. Modernization goes beyond rehabilitation and aims at further improvement of the performance of the irrigation systems. The process of modernization also attempts to make irrigation schemes more responsive to the farmers’ needs.
This Expert Consultation broadly aims to examine the various aspects of modernization of irrigation schemes and provide a framework for assessing the need and possibilities for adopting the required measures for modernization in the irrigation schemes of various countries in the Region. It is hoped that the present compilation of the papers presented during the Expert Consultation will provide the basic information needed for undertaking these programmes. It is also hoped that the concerned organizations in the various countries of the Asian region, recognize the need and importance of modernization of irrigation systems and initiate appropriate action for the same.
