Keywords
Water resource; Institutions; Stakeholder engagement
Location
Session H2: Water Resources Management and Planning - Modeling and Software for Improving Dcisions and Engaging Stakeholders
Start Date
17-6-2014 9:00 AM
End Date
17-6-2014 10:30 AM
Abstract
The dry rainfed areas pose a serious challenge in India due to the environment of scarcity, fragility and adversity of natural resources in these areas, and the high incidence of poverty. The government has undertaken huge programs called watershed development programs in such areas to promote scientific and judicious use of the resources to improve sustainability, incomes, livelihoods. National and international contributions commit about $500 million annually for such programs. However, effective institutional arrangements are lacking and are required to combine scientific approaches with community participation and ownership, especially given the small farm sizes and high populations. This research supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has examined this issue using new institutional economics, and insights from experiences in Australia and India. A new conceptual model is developed, combining scientific approaches with institutional and management theory. The model is empirically tested using data from a survey of 18 watershed development projects and 542 stakeholders. The statistical results validate the model's usefulness. They indicate that to perform well, the institutions need to address at least three critical rationalities: technical, environmental and financial, and two critical institutional features: good interaction and adaptiveness. Environmental rationality is found to be important even for delivering equity results. This appears to be because the poor typically live on more fragile/ degraded lands. The study provides insights and a useful model for designing more effective institutions and institutional arrangements for resource and environment management in the given setting as well as possibly other program and country settings.
Included in
Civil Engineering Commons, Data Storage Systems Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons, Hydraulic Engineering Commons, Other Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons
Modelling Water and Land Resource Management in Dry Rainfed Areas of India: Connecting the Environment and Technology to Institutions and Stakeholders
Session H2: Water Resources Management and Planning - Modeling and Software for Improving Dcisions and Engaging Stakeholders
The dry rainfed areas pose a serious challenge in India due to the environment of scarcity, fragility and adversity of natural resources in these areas, and the high incidence of poverty. The government has undertaken huge programs called watershed development programs in such areas to promote scientific and judicious use of the resources to improve sustainability, incomes, livelihoods. National and international contributions commit about $500 million annually for such programs. However, effective institutional arrangements are lacking and are required to combine scientific approaches with community participation and ownership, especially given the small farm sizes and high populations. This research supported by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) has examined this issue using new institutional economics, and insights from experiences in Australia and India. A new conceptual model is developed, combining scientific approaches with institutional and management theory. The model is empirically tested using data from a survey of 18 watershed development projects and 542 stakeholders. The statistical results validate the model's usefulness. They indicate that to perform well, the institutions need to address at least three critical rationalities: technical, environmental and financial, and two critical institutional features: good interaction and adaptiveness. Environmental rationality is found to be important even for delivering equity results. This appears to be because the poor typically live on more fragile/ degraded lands. The study provides insights and a useful model for designing more effective institutions and institutional arrangements for resource and environment management in the given setting as well as possibly other program and country settings.
