The irrigation system was profitable but only when farmers
used it for dry-season irrigation of cash crops.
users group declined. Apart from the
additional cost for pumping, another
reason was a lack of household labour
to manage the production of cash crops
under groundwater irrigation. This,
in turn, stemmed from the availability
of other livelihood options (such as
small businesses and wage labour),
which compete with agriculture and
may prove more appealing. Clearly,
the future development of such
systems will depend not just on local
hydrogeological conditions, but also
on a better understanding of the social
and economic factors that influence
farmers’ decisions. New technologies
during the first year. As farmers gained
experience with the high-performance
electric pumps, pipe distribution system
and other equipment, their trust grew,
and they came to have a sense of
ownership over the system.
The irrigation system was profitable
but only when farmers used it for
dry-season irrigation of cash crops.
Growing rice under these conditions
proved to be unprofitable. Increased
profits, however, did not translate into
increased popularity. In the pilot’s
second year, with the subsidy removed,
participation in the groundwater
As farmers gained experience with the high-performance pumps and other
equipment, their trust grew, and they came to have a sense of ownership
over the system.
26
Water Sewage & Effluent May/June 2019
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