Challenges and Measures on Participatory Irrigation Management and Irrigation Management Transfer in the Four Irrigation Networks of Iran

Disengagement¡ participatory irrigation management (PIM)¡ irrigation management transfer and turnover of the management and authority of public irrigation systems from government to the water users associations (WUA) or other entities (IMT) are the major apparent trends which are occurring in the context of irrigation management in the developed¡ and recently in the most developing countries¡ e.g.¡ Iran. Therefore¡ the main objective of this research was to study and evaluate the potential tendencies¡ incentives¡ weak points and obstacles in the process of PIM/IMT in our irrigation networks of Iran¡ namely Esfahan¡ Droodzan¡ Dez¡ and Ghazvin irrigation networks. The methodology was based on review of projects technical literature¡ familiarity with the O&M of the networks processes¡ interviews with the farmers¡ irrigators¡ staffs¡ the managers of the projects¡ and finally filling of the prepared comprehensive questionnaire by interviewers with the relevant stakeholders. Overall¡ the followings results concluded from this research: There is tendency for PIM/IMT¡ only in the tertiary and fortieth canal levels¡ lack of mutual confidence and reliability between the water users and system management¡ substantial needs on training and capacity buildings among the water users and beneficiaries¡ uncertainty and doubts on yields and sustainability of agricultural production following management transfer¡ perceptions and anticipations of farmers from PIM/IMT are mainly improvement of equity of water delivery¡ there are needs and requests from the farmers for the renovation and rehabilitation of the system prior to the management transfer¡ and the necessity of the government supports for the proper linkages of water users WUA with the government structure¡ from legal and organizational aspects¡ in the transformed networks.