Guidelines On Irrigation Investment Projects

Irrigation has been and will continue to be an agricultural and rural investment priority. Development of the irrigation sector faces multiple challenges, including water scarcity and degradation, competition over shared resources, and the impact of climate change. Innovations are needed to address these challenges, as well as emerging needs, and to promote productive, equitable and sustainable water management. These guidelines, produced by an inter-agency team, highlight experiences and lessons learned from global irrigation investment operations. They introduce innovative approaches, tools and references, and provide practical guidance on how to incorporate or apply them at each stage of the investment project cycle. The guidelines will be a useful resource for national and international professionals involved in irrigation investment operations.

Irrigation has been and will continue to be an agricultural and rural investment priority. Development of the irrigation sector faces multiple challenges, including water scarcity and degradation, competition over shared resources, and the impact of climate change. Innovations are needed to address these challenges, as well as emerging needs, and to promote productive, equitable and sustainable water management. These guidelines, produced by an inter-agency team, highlight experiences and lessons learned from global irrigation investment operations. They introduce innovative approaches, tools and references, and provide practical guidance on how to incorporate or apply them at each stage of the investment project cycle. The guidelines will be a useful resource for national and international professionals involved in irrigation investment operations.

This book reports on a study that assessed the effectiveness of irrigation technologies and management practices in the Third World. Using a management model, it offers new perspectives on the evaluation of investment priorities and the benefits of irrigation projects in developing countries.

Irrigation management transfer (IMT) means the relocation of responsibility and authority for irrigation management from government agencies to non-governmental organizations, such as water user's associations. It is a widespread process that is taking place in more than 40 countries. These guidelines have been written to assist policy-makers, planners, technical experts, farmers' representatives and others involved in IMT programmes to design and implement an effective comprehensive and sustainable reform.