Social Assessment Rani Jamara Kulariya
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IPP503 V1 Public Disclosure Authorized Social Assessment Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation Project Public Disclosure Authorized Department Irrigation Public Disclosure Authorized February 23, 2011 Public Disclosure Authorized Table of Contents LIST OF ACRONYMS & TRANSLATIONS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SOCIAL ASSESSMENT 1. Introduction 2. Methodology for conducting the social assessment 2.1 Settlement maps of the command areas 2.2 Survey questionnaire 2.3 Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions 2.4 Documentation 2.5 Profile of committee members 2.6 Institutional profile 3. Ethnic and Minority Communities 4. Land tenure, land holding, and farming practices 5. Irrigation management system 6. Stakeholder consultation & Analysis 7. Gender and Social Inclusion 8. Riparian Water Users i LIST OF ACRONYMS & TRANSLATIONS Badghar The person in charge of managing village-wide affairs including those related to irrigation at the village/sub-branch level. CBOs Community Based Organizations DDC District Development Committee DOA Department of Agriculture DOI Department of Irrigation DOWD Department of Women’s Development FGD Focus Group Discussions GESI Gender, Equality and Social Inclusion GRC Grievance Redress Committee ICCCP Information, Communication, Community Consultation & Participation IP Indigenous Peoples IPM Integrated Pest Management IPNM Integrated Pest and Nutrient Management ISEA Integrated Social and Environmental Assessment IUA Irrigation Users’ Association for Rani, Jamara and Kulariya IUC Irrigation User Committee IUG Irrigation User Group M&E Monitoring and Evaluation KII Key Informant Interviews Kulo Canal (Nepali word) MOWR Ministry of Water Resources NDC National Dalit Commission NEFIWUAN Nepal Federation of Irrigation Users Association of Nepal O&M Operation and Maintenance PAP Project Affected Persons PRA Participatory Rural Appraisal RJK Rani, Jamara and Kulariya RP Resettlement Plan RJKIS Rani Jamara Kulariya Irrigation System Sahek Chaudhary The person in charge of managing irrigation-related issues at the village/sub-branch. VCD Vulnerable Community Development VDC Village Development Committee WB World Bank ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Rani, Jamara and Kulariya Kulos (or canals) were constructed by farmers more than a hundred years go. These Kulos off-take from Jarahi Naala, western sub-course of the Karnali River. Each Kulo has many branches and sub-branches to irrigate at present approximately 24,000 ha of farmland. Since construction, the Kulo system has been traditionally operated, maintained and managed by traditional irrigation user committees and headed by Kulo Chaudhary of each Kulo1. Nepal Government, as per the request of the irrigation users of the Rani, Jamara and Kulariya system, has planned to upgrade the system through proper intakes. The Nepal Government is also requesting the World Bank to assist in financing the project. This assignment is a part of the project for World Bank financing. It has two components. First, a social assessment was conducted that would complete the development of a socioeconomic profile of the project; map out stakeholders in the project area; assess various social, economic and political factors that play in the design and implementation of the project; and assess likelihood of the social impacts of the project. Second, on the basis of the social assessment findings, it was to develop necessary interventions and mitigation strategies under the project in line with relevant government and World Bank requirements. Methodology: The methodology for carrying out this assessment included the following: PRA maps of the settlement areas within Rani, Jamara and Kulariya Irrigation Systems (RJKIS); household survey; focus group and individual interviews; repeated interviews/discussions with key informants; collection of relevant documents; profile of committee members; and institutional profile of rules and regulations governing decision making and water allocation systems in RJK. Ethnic and Minority Communities: The project areas are comprised of the following ethnic groups: Tharu, Bahun/Chettri, Hill Janajatis (including Magars), and Dalits. The Tharu population is divided into two, those who are indigenous to the Kailali/Bardiya belt and those who migrated from Dang. Mukta Kamaiyas have also been re-settled in the project areas, although 1,836 are still awaiting re-settlement packages from the government and have encroached in riverbanks and government property. Migrant hill communities started settling in area in the 1960s and when Tikapur town was being constructed. 1 The project team was comprised of Dr Bimbika Sijapati Basnett, Team Leader; Dr Chudamani Basnet, Sociologist; and Sanjay Mahato, Research Associate. The research team has profited tremendously from the direction of Deepak Thapa, Director of the Social Science Baha as well as field-work support from and consultations with Suresh Dhakal and Roshan Pokharel of the Social Science Baha. We would also like to acknowledge the contribution of the following individuals in conducting the household survey: Neelam Rawat, Deepak Chaudhary, Chaman Chaudhar and Man Bahadhur Chaudhary; and the following in carrying out data entry: Nirjala Pandit, Abhinav Bhandary and Nabraj Subedi. The project team is very grateful to the members of the Rani, Jamara and Kulariya committees for their invaluable field-work and logistics support. Last but not the least, this Social Assessment would not have been possible without the hundreds of male and female users of the Rani, Jamara and Kulariya irrigation systems as well as representatives of NGOs, CBOs, line agencies, and others who spoke with us during the course of the field research. 1 Land tenure, land holding and farming practices: The majority of the population in the project areas rely on agriculture and seasonal male-outmigration. The sizes of landholdings are small, especially since the Maoist Movement and ensuing civil conflict in the region. The major forms of land-tenure are ‘Battaya’ (50 – 50 division between tenant and owner) followed by ‘Thekka’ (pre-negotiated contract between tenant and owner) and ‘Bandaki’ (tenancy rights as collateral for financial obligations). Even the relatively small landholding Pahadi households give land for Battaya to Tharu tenants and prefer to migrate to India for employment opportunities. Such trends are also growing amongst Tharu households. Farming practices vary depending on availability of irrigation water. Traditional irrigation management system: The three Kulos have been historically managed by indigenous Tharu systems of governance. Each Kulo is/was headed by a Kulo Chaudhary and each settlement a Badghar/Sahek Chaudhary. Recent settlers have also adopted and been integrated into such a system. In 2056/7, Irrigation User Committees (IUCs) were established in all three systems. The major responsibility of the IUCs are to mobilize labor for the operation and maintenance of the main source as well as to mediate between irrigation users and the external agencies such as the government and donors. There is considerable overlap between the IUCs and the traditional kulo management system. Furthermore, the system is highly decentralized with Badghars responsible for governing rules over allocation, appropriation, labour and cash contributions, and monitoring and enforcement mechanisms in their respective settlements/sub-branches. Irrigation Users Association (IUA), or an apex committee for the three Kulos, was established in 2057 B.S. But the committee continues to be marred with disputes over its membership. The irrigation water is scarce during the winter while dangers of flooding increases over the monsoon seasons. The majority of the users depend on irrigation from the three kulos. Boring is rare and available to only the richer farmers. Allocation of water between head and tail-enders is a constant source of tension, but is generally resolved at the local level and by the Badghars themselves. Key sources of outstanding disputes are between Tharus and Non-Tharus over labour contribution to source maintenance, on the one hand, and accusations over lack of transparency between users and committee members, on the other hand. Stakeholder Consultations and Analysis: Three layers of stakeholders were consulted – primary, secondary and territory. The project team has held only two orientation sessions thus far where Badghars and committee members were invited. Although many users have heard about the project, only those who were able to attend the orientation sessions have understood it in much depth. Even then, the illiterate Badghars and committee members found the communication and dissemination mechanisms difficult to follow. Women, in particular, had heard the least about the project. Secondary stakeholders with a stake in the project, and could play a role in averting potential conflicts over project design as well as employment opportunities during project construction had not been informed formally about the project. There exist 2 many unsubstantiated myths about the project. The major political parties in general and those advocating for Tharu rights in particular were very interested in the project, and could play a role in politicizing it for their political gains. Gender and Social Inclusion Assessment: The irrigation systems, although governed primarily by Tharus, also included other ethnic groups such as the Bahun/Chettri, Dalits and hill Janajatis (the latter to a lesser extent). Instead, the major concerns were whether the