Property Rights and State Intervention in Hill Irrigation Systems in Nepal

Abstract

"In Nepal, as elsewhere in Asia, the state is increasing its assistance to existing user-managed irrigation systems--usually small in scale of command. National governments and agencies involved in irrigation development have frequently experienced unexpected problems and outcomes from their intervention in such user- or farmer-managed irrigation systems. Several causes of these problems and unintended results have been identified, e.g., poor technical design, agency inefficiencies, non-existent local organization. Consequently, governments and agencies have been perplexed as to how best to work with community or user-managed irrigation systems."