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Irrigation, Institutions and Income the Impact of Water Sector Reforms on Farmer Income in Northwest China

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Irrigation, Institutions and Income the Impact of Water Sector Reforms on Farmer Income in Northwest China Irrigation, Institutions and Income The impact of water sector reforms on farmer income in Northwest China Msc thesis by: Koen Leuveld, Wageningen University Supervisors: Nico Heerink and Bettina Bluemling, Wageningen University Liu Tao, Nanjing Agricultural University Table of Contents Executive Summary....................................................................................................................................ii Foreword....................................................................................................................................................iii 1.Introduction..............................................................................................................................................1 2.Theoretical Background...........................................................................................................................4 2.1. The multi-disciplinary nature of irrigation.....................................................................................4 2.2. Nested Systems...............................................................................................................................5 2.3.Institutional Economics...................................................................................................................7 2.4.Performance.....................................................................................................................................8 2.5.Impact.............................................................................................................................................10 3. Background............................................................................................................................................11 3.1. The Chinese water crisis...............................................................................................................11 3.2.Minle County.................................................................................................................................12 4.Methodology..........................................................................................................................................15 4.1.Research Overview........................................................................................................................15 4.2.Data Sources...................................................................................................................................16 5.The determinants of WUA performance...............................................................................................17 5.1.Variables.........................................................................................................................................17 5.1.1.WUA Performance................................................................................................................17 5.1.2.WUA Characteristics.............................................................................................................19 5.1.3.Village Characteristics...........................................................................................................21 5.2. Results...........................................................................................................................................23 6. The impact of WUA performance........................................................................................................25 6.1.Variables.........................................................................................................................................25 6.1.1.Income....................................................................................................................................26 6.1.2.Household Characteristics.....................................................................................................27 6.1.3.Farm Characteristics..............................................................................................................27 6.2.Results............................................................................................................................................29 7.Conclusions and recommendations.......................................................................................................31 7.1.Conclusions....................................................................................................................................31 7.2.Policy recommendations................................................................................................................32 7.3.Discussion......................................................................................................................................33 References.................................................................................................................................................34 i Executive Summary According to many observers the world is facing a water crisis. China is one of the countries facing severe water stress, and this has prompted the national government to initiate institutional reforms in the water sector. One aspect of these reforms is the establishment of Water User Associations (WUAs) in which water users are given responsibilities for managing the irrigation system. This study aims to assess the impacts on rural household income of the introduction of these participatory irrigation institutions in Minle County, Gansu Province, China. The questions that are examined here are: 1. What are crucial factors for judging WUA performance? 2. Which factors explain differences in WUA performance? 3. How does the performance of the WUA translate at farm household level? I.e. what effect does a better performing water institution have on the water use of a farmer, and farm household income, holding all other factors constant. In order to answer these questions, this study employs a theoretical framework that aims to combine elements from irrigation literature and institutional economics. The irrigation system (containing both physical and institutional infrastructure) is seen as embedded in wider systems, such as the farm economy and the rural economy. Institutions are seen as elements of this system, that transform inputs (e.g. labour) into outputs (e.g. water delivered to the field) that have an impact (e.g. farm income). In order to assess WUA performance a set of indicators, both physical and financial, are used. These indicators are used in econometric analyses to estimate both the factors that influence them, and their impact. This is done using data collected for 315 households and 35 WUAs in Minle County. The results indicate that participation has a positive effect on the performance of water institutions, and that increased performance has a positive impact on cropping income. However, increased performance has a negative impact on off-farm income. This is seen as evidence that farmers shift resources away from off-farm labour in favour of on-farm activities in the face of improvements in water supply. The study did not indicate a large impact on total household income, which can be explained by the fact that the data for the study has been gathered in a year with good rainfall, while the impacts of good water management are expected to be the largest in dry years. While it is demonstrated that participatory institutions have a positive impact on performance, more reforms are needed in the water institutions in Minle County for the farmers to fully benefit. Evidence of nepotism and adverse policies at a higher level exist. These issues might constrain the possible benefits that farmers are able to derive from water sector reforms. ii Foreword Before you lies the thesis that is meant to be the final piece of work of my master in International Development Studies at Wageningen University. I wrote this thesis at the Development Economics group. One of the most important themes in development economics these days is the role of institutions. One of the most important themes in my studies has been water. So when the option to perform research on water institutions in a dynamic country like China presented itself, I could not refuse. In writing this thesis I’ve been greatly helped by a number of people: my supervisors at Wageningen University: Nico Heerink and Bettina Bluemling. At Wageningen Univerity's Development Economics group, Maarten Voors and Marrit van der Berg have provided valuable input for this thesis. At Nanjing Agricultural University Liu Tao, Shi Xiaoping, Feng Shui and the people at the college of international education. In Minle County, the people at the Water Management Bureau, village leaders, and all the farmers and families interviewed were extremely helpful and kind. Special thanks go out to my fellow students Veronica Wachong Castro and Zhou Khan. All these people helped to make the research, my stay at China, and the writing of my thesis to a pleasurable experience. I hope that reading this thesis will be as enjoyable and interesting to the reader. Koen Leuveld iii 1. Introduction As the world’s population grows, so does its demand for food, and hence irrigation water. Questions are arising of whether the world can sustain this increased demand for water. Although 75% of the world’s surface is covered with water, only a small portion of all this water is fresh water that is ready to use for agricultural, industrial or domestic purposes. Moreover, it is threatened
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