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Contents

Executive summary

Investment in irrigation

Neglect of maintenance - consequences

Returns to maintenance

Financing and organizing maintenance

Funding from increased fees
Turnover
O&M by private firm or autonomous agency
Assistance from lending agencies

Improving the effectiveness of maintenance

Recognizing the impacts of neglect
Policy
Incentives and penalties
Institutional change
Design
Planning procedures

References

The International Programme for Technology and Research in Irrigation and Drainage (IPTRID) aims to enhance the standard of irrigation and drainage research and development in and by developing countries, giving due regard to the needs of the environment. Its main objectives are to improve technology and management in order to increase the production of food and agricultural commodities, enhance food security and assist in eliminating poverty. The programme focuses attention on four priority themes:

Synthesizing knowledge
Building national capacity
Formulating research and development strategies and programmes
Networking

IPTRID's sponsors are FAO, UNDP, World Bank, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), international and national research institutes, multi- and bilateral donors, and development foundations.

For further information about the IPTRID Programme please contact the IPTRID Secretariat at the following address:

Arumugam Kandiah
Programme Manager
IPTRID
Room B-712
Land and Water Development Division
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy

Tel: +39 06 570 54033 Fax: +39 06 570 56275
E-mail: [email protected]

One of IPTRID's priority activities is to create awareness among the interested public and the professional community on irrigation and drainage issues, particularly on the positive benefits of irrigated agriculture. It is hoped that the reader will be able to appreciate better the role of irrigation and drainage and understand how such developments can be improved with minimal environmental impacts and maximum livelihood benefits.

Realizing the value of irrigation system maintenance is the second in a series of issues papers to be published by IPTRID. The first paper, Poverty reduction and irrigated agriculture, was published in January 1999. Further papers are planned on:

- Priorities for drainage, and
- Environmental sustainability of irrigation

Publication of these papers will be announced in the IPTRID Network Magazine GRID, which is published biannually.
Requests for GRID magazine and for copies of the issues papers should be sent to the IPTRID Programme Manager at the address above.