Phnom Penh Hotel25 March 2010

Organized by the Irrigation Service Centre

Workshop: “Support to FWUC:

Reviews of Experiences and Strategies”

Funded by

By Long PisethWith inputs from Antoine Deligne

ISC Kompong ThomGRET

Encouraging membership in the Irrigation Scheme of ‘5 Kumpheak’

Geographical position of 5 Kumpheak irrigation system

Svay Tiep CommuneLvea Leu CommuneChamkar Leu District

Kompong Cham Province

Map of 5 Kumpheak irrigation schemein Lvea Leu commune

Main infrastructure

Reservoir Kbal Hong Chas

Main gate

Main canal

Basic information about 5 Kumpheak irrigation system

Built in 1972 under Pol Pot regime

Rehabilitated in 2000 by MoWRaM

FWUC established in 2003 by MoWRaM (for 2 communes together)

4 reservoirs, 5 main gates

Total command area: > 1000 Ha

Number of farmers: > 1000 families

Detailed assessment by ISC team

1. April 2009: first visit by ISC

2. July to August 2009: Detailed study about the scheme and the FWUC

-> Decision to work only in Lvea Commune for the use of 2 reservoirs: - Kbal Hong Chas reservoir for 3 villages, 261 ha and 243 farmers- Phum Bey reservoir for 3 villages, 231 Ha and 316 farmers

Results of the detailed assessmentOpportunities

The main gate and canal are in good condition

Some double cropping in the wet season (early wet season rice) on about 39 ha

The soil are quite fertile with yields from 2 to 4 tons per ha depending on practice

The price for rice is increasing

There is already a FWUC recognized by MoWRaM

The FWUC president wish to improve the system

The commune has the plan to rehabilitate some secondary canals

Identification of the field limits for each village

Reasons for FWUC low functioningConstraints

No water control structures for sharing water-> a lot of water is wasted during irrigation

The water source is insufficient to irrigate all the command area �់

Conflict and competition for water between upstream and downstream farmers

Limited knowledge about FWUC management

Field study of canals and structures

Proposal to set up 2 new Farmer Water User Groups

October 2009: the commune sign a contract with ISC to set up 2 FWUG in Lvea Leu Commune

December 2009 – March 2010: first service implementation

Village meetings during service implementation

Government policies regarding membership in FWUC

Circular No.1 (1999), objective: “To encourage farmers to receive ownership of operation and maintenance of irrigation systems”

Official FWUC statutes, article 5: “Farmers must apply for membership by apposing their thumb print.”

Prakas 306 (2000), Policy for Sustainable Operation and Maintenance of Irrigation System, Article 2.3.5:

“Farmers who want to use water for cropping must apply for membership in the FWUC and agree to pay the water fee fixed by the FWUC.”

-> The ISC policy to encourage membership is in line with government policies.

Main purposes for the membership registration and membership fee collection

1) To measure farmers’ motivation for participation in FWUC management

2) Provide authority and legitimacy to the FWUC for implementing decisions

3) Ensure that farmers are ready to collaborate in ISC service implementation

4) ISC own procedures require the payment of the service

-> The minimum level of participation = 67%

Other advantages of membership fee collection

Starting fund for the group functioning

Precise membership registration process

Encourage clear information towards the farmers

Allow the creation of a database with members (and non-members)

Clarify the rights of the members in the FWUG decision process

Difference between Irrigation Service Fee (ISF) and Membership

Fee (MF)

ISF payment is compulsory for all farmers (as long as they get water, members and non-members alike)

MF is paid according to the farmer own wish to participate (also paid by farmers who don’t get water yet)

ISF is collected annually or seasonally

MF is collected only at the creation of the FWUG or before election

ISF amount is fixed according to FWUG budget requirements (and/or farming incomes)

MF amount is fixed according to members capacity (and/or ISC service fee)

The MF can be used for which purpose?

1. To pay ISC service (1.5 million riels per FWUG)

2. Starting fund to cover FWUG functioning costs as:

Incentives for FWUG representatives and staffs Small maintenance and repairs Election costs Members assembly organization

3. To attract outside funding(the fund is a proof of the farmers commitment to manage their scheme on the long run)

Farmers are not empty handed when they ask for support

MF collection procedure

1. Form a Working Group (WG) for discussion and decision making (before committee election)

2. Fix the MF amount (in 5 komphheak: 15,000 riels / family)

3. Village meeting to explain the MF purpose and the collection process (by small groups of farmers)

4. MF collection by group

5. MF collection by individual family

6. MF collection results verification by WG

7. Public display of the members list and MF collected in each village for transparency

8. Each member receives a membership card

9. All the money is placed in a bank account

The result of MF collection in 5 Komphheak

497 members paid MF for a total of 559 landowners

89% of all landowners have paid MF

Total amount collected = 7,445,000 riels (~1800$)

Farmers have shown their satisfaction regarding this process

Rights and role of members

Elect their representatives in the FWUG committee

Discuss and validate the statutes and internal rules

Examine and validate the FWUG budget and activity plan

Decide priorities for repairs and constructions

Decide the cropping calendar and water sharing rules

Fix the ISF level and the ISF collection system

Rights of the non-members

No right to vote during election

No right to take part of decision during assemblies

But the non-members obligations are the same with members: To pay the ISF (on the condition they really get water)

To respect internal rules

But the motivation of the farmers to become members is not only to get

voting right The farmers want to engage in collective action

and to participate together with other villagers in the FWUC management

on the condition that:

They believe in the system functioning and that water will be sufficient.

They get real benefits from the irrigation system. They trust the committee and the financial

management. They make their own free choice to participate. Previous conflicts are solved.

Membership registration is just the first step:

Future services from ISC to support 5 Komphheak scheme

Support the FWUG representatives election processTrain the representatives on operation and

maintenanceOrganize the cropping & irrigation calendarDesign effective water management rulesSet up budget and financial proceduresOrganize ISF collectionEnsure rules enforcement and sanctionsRehabilitate and build new secondary infrastructuresExtend the irrigated area

Conclusion

The ISC believe that it is fundamental to involve the farmers in the decision making in the very first step of irrigation projects:-by asking them if they really want to manage the irrigation system or not, -and if they are ready to invest their own money in irrigation or not.

Let’s the farmers make their choices !

Thank you for your attention.

Long PisethCoordinator and O&M Technical AdvisorIrrigation Service CentreKompong ThomTel. 077 888 968E-mail: longpiseth@gmail.com