|
|||||||||||||||
ASIST Bulletin no. 8, January 1999 Community participation and gender sensitivity By Mr. Lokollo, ILO, Kathmandu, Nepal The project at a glance After six years implementation in Nepal, the efforts of promoting popular participation in irrigation development seems to bear fruit. The final evaluation of the project has been positive and keen interest has been engendered at central level. The entry point for the Dhaulagiri Irrigation Development Project (DIDP) in 1989 was to secure sufficient and reliable irrigation water to small scale farmers in the mountains of Nepal, in order to increase food production, and thereby contribute to the alleviation of poverty. Sufficient irrigation water has increased food production in most implemented sub-projects by about 20-30%, either due to increased yields or to changes in the cropping pattern, e.g. from two to three crops per year. The implementation strategy has been a demand-driven, employment intensive and popular participation approach. From single to multi-sector approach From the outset, the DIDP was a single sector project under the Department of Irrigation. While irrigation remained the key intervention, additional activities such as agricultural extension, income generation, environmental protection, community forestry, mini hydro power, etc. have been implemented by DIDP or jointly with other relevant agencies. Women are getting recognised Realising the importance of women in the agricultural process, the DIDP has given special attention to the organisation of women as a constant source of information. Formation and training of Women Saving Groups (WSGs) has proved to be a successful means of improving living standards, and of making families self-reliant and less vulnerable. WSGs have been introduced to and trained in summer, winter and off-seasonal vegetable production. Irrigation, and improved techniques and varieties, have ensured additional incomes and better nutrition for families, earning the women recognition and respect from the men. WSGs in Myagifi District have on their own initiative formed a district women group. One of their priorities is to establish a co-operative vegetable seed centre in the district. Participatory approach Sufficiency of water is regarded as one of the core issues to increase food production. In order to sustain implemented irrigation infrastructure, popular participation has been perceived not only as involving farmers in construction and rehabilitation of irrigation schemes, but principally as a means to develop institutional, financial and administrative units which a community needs to operate and maintain an irrigation scheme. Farmers and committee members have received relevant training in order to develop and improve local skills. Involvement of NGOs A tripartite setup between the District Irrigation Office (DIO), DIDP, and NGOs has been tried out with a fair amount of success. NGOs have worked at grass-root level as community organisers, giving training in income generating activities and environmental protection. In co-operation with the DIOs, NGOs have been responsible for local institutional building. An innovative approach With its status as a pilot project, the DIDP has the flexibility and the obligation to experiment with new implementation strategies. One innovation is the ‘piecework system'. The piecework system allows the breakage of construction work into pieces and the tendering of it to construction groups within the community. Work beyond the capacity of the construction group is invited by tender for lowest level contractors. The piecework system allows to a larger extent than earlier for the beneficiaries to participate in construction work and to secure ownership of irrigation infrastructures. Piecework is furthermore gender neutral as work is paid per piece no matter the gender, cast, etc. ‘Minimum Assistance' projects are another DIDP innovation. For small schemes or schemes requiring only minor inputs, minimum assistance becomes a promising alternative. Construction materials are delivered at the nearest road head, and skills training given. Construction work and transport remain the responsibility of the beneficiaries. This approach has shown to be very promising and of great satisfaction to the beneficiaries.
DIDP in key figures
For more information contact: |
|||||||||||||||
