ON FARM WATER MANAGEMENTTRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

FARMERS’ TRAINING

IN

ON-FARM WATER MANAGEMENT

OPENING SESSION(First Week)

Opening by Key officials

Support by local government andvillage officials

All the farmers from the WUAattend the first session. During thefirst week a final selection ismade of the 20-24 farmers whowill attend all training sessions.

EXPLAINING THE MEANING OF MAPS(First Week of Farmers Seasonal Planning)

The meaning and function of mapsis explained and their importancein the On-Farm WaterManagement course is made clear.

Presenting the map of the Water Users Associationarea, from where the repartition of the blocks is made.

Farmers discuss the repartition of the irrigation area ofthe WUA into various blocks.

After this is completed, the representatives of thevarious blocks are selected, according to establishedcriteria, making sure that each block has indeed anequal number of farmers an that in each block at leastone woman is represented.

PRESENTATION OF THE BLOCK MAPS(Second Week Farmers Seasonal Planning)

As a special block task given atthe end of the first week, therepresentatives of each block arerequested to prepare a map oftheir blocks. This map has to bepresented at the beginning of thesecond week.

Farmers are well familiar withtheir own area and have noproblems in preparing very goodmaps of their blocks in which alldetails are provided on irrigationsystem, roads, residential areasand all the fields with the namesof the owner and size of plots.

In all cases, farmers show littleproblems in preparing the maps.Sometimes remarkable accuracy isshown in the preparation of themaps.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION(Second Week Farmers Seasonal Planning)

Explaining the various types ofOn-farm water managementproblems, relating to technicaloperational, agricultural, socio-economic, institutional andenvironmental problems.

To analyze the problems incauses and impact, theproblem-solving matrix isintroduced.

In weekly group activities, farmerspractice together in setting up aproblem matrix for the watermanagement problems in their ownblock.

BALLOT BOX FIELD EXERCISE(Second Week)

The Irrigation Officer explainsthe procedures of the BallotBox exercise. This is the firstfield practice to test the farmersknowledge on watermanagement problems.

On a course of approximately 1km., a 10 to 15 locations aremarked where farmers are givena multiple-choice questionconcerning a water managementproblem. They have to indicatethe right answer by putting acarton coin in one of the threeboxes.

Waiting their turn in replying tothe Ballot Box.

Field exercises form an essential aspect of the farmers training and are included every week as an importantpart of the training.

Every week another block is visited. In this way, farmers will become aware of the water managementproblems in other blocks as well.

The Ballot Box procedure shows farmers in the field atypical water management problem. To assessfarmers’ knowledge on causes and impact of specificconstraints in the field irrigation system, three possibleanswers are given from where a choice is made byputting a coin in the concerning box, marked by A, Bor C.

The results of the Ballot Boxfield exercise are afterwardspresented in the classroom. Theanswers to the questions arecounted and discussed.

Example of a block map made by farmers.

PRESENTATION BLOCK PROBLEMS(Third Week)

Following the explanations andpractices on problemidentification, farmers (duringtheir weekly block task) preparethe list of water managementproblems. These problems arepresented in the beginning ofthe third week.

Causes and impact of the watermanagement problems areanalyzed by each block andpresented.

Each water managementproblem is localized on theblock map. Areas withproblems in water supply,flooding or with waterloggingare indicated.

SOLUTION FINDING(Third week)

The various solutions arefurther discussed and possibledifficulties evaluated.

Each block prepares thus thesolutions for its’ problemswhich is presented in the firsthour of the fourth week.

Better water management shouldresult in higher agriculturalproduction. Adequate attentionis therefore given on theagricultural aspects of watermanagement.

In particular the existingcropping pattern is a mirror ofadequate water supply and watermanagement.

As special exercise, each groupis requested to prepare the actualcropping pattern and thescheduled cropping pattern forthe next year.

Following the identification ofproblems, farmers discuss thepossible exercise during thefield exercise.

In many cases simple structures, constructed by farmersthemselves, are sufficient.

In other cases, outside assistance is required for propertechnical design and input of materials.

During the classroom presentation, at the hand of a rangeof illustrations and pictures, farmers are explained aboutthe various possible solutions.

Familiarized with the varioussolutions for the watermanagement problems, farmersdiscuss in groups the solutionsfor the problems they haveearlier identified.

ACTION PLAN(Fourth Week)

At the hand of a common example, the concept of anaction plan is explained and practiced by the farmers.

FIELD EXERCISE

During the field exercise in oneof the blocks, the requirementsto implement a certain proposedsolution are discussed pergroup. The inputs requiredconcern materials, funds, labourand time.

The action plan is further worked out by each group, discussing extensively the various inputs required.

The various solutions for the action plan are presented and discussed shortly in a plenary session wheresuggestions are made on calculations of materials and costs estimates.

The Water Management Action Plans are further worked out by the groups, as block tasks to be presented inthe fifth week.

FUNCTIONING OF THE WATER USERS ASSOCIATION(Fourth week)

An introduction is given on theorganization of the Water UsersAssociation, its tasks and standardrules and regulations asestablished in the concernedprovince.

To test the knowledge of thefarmers on the tasks andfunctioning of the WUA, alittle ballot box exercise isorganized within theclassroom with approximately10 questions relating to thefunctions and tasks of theWUA.

Each group notes down theanswers on each question.

In a plenary session, thereplies to each question arerecorded and discussed. Inthis way, a list of tasks andresponsibilities of the WUAcan be build up.The replies given by eachgroup are recorded.

As a special block task, farmers will discuss and elaborate further on the factors which has prevented theWUA so far to operate properly, identify the constraints and provide solutions to overcome these.This is presented in the fifth wee, when the discussions on the organizational form of the WUA arecontinued.

In the fifth week, group discussions are set up, after the block presentations, to propose on the way theorganization of the WUA should function in the blocks and to prepare practical rules and regulations.

PRESENTATION OF WATER MANAGEMENT ANDWATER USERS ASSOCIATION ACTION PLAN

(Fifth week)

Each block can now present itsown Water Management ActionPlan that consists of:- blockmap- problem solving matrix- Cropping pattern- WUA improvement schedule

The irrigation officials evaluateand discuss with the farmerswhich of the farmimprovements work can notfully be solved by the farmersand require further technicalsupport.

After further discussions, theWUA Action Plan is presented,including the organizational formand the rules and regulations.

Candidates for the variousfunctions in the WUA-board andblocks are proposed andnominated.

FORMAL PRESENTATION AND CLOSURE(Fifth week)

In a final discussion, results ofthe farmers’ course areevaluated and further follow-upactions and support agreedupon in a project developmentplan.

Formal presentation of the WaterManagement and Water UsersAssociation Action Plan by amember of the WUA.

Closure by prominent local official.