Irrigation, Productivity and Poverty Linkages in Irrigation Systems in Java, Indonesia

Abstract

This paper analyzes irrigation-poverty linkages, and determines how and to what extent irrigation contributes to poverty alleviation, and whether there are any spatial patterns in poverty in irrigation systems. It also identifies conditions under which irrigation has greater anti-poverty impacts. The analysis is based on primary data collected during the 2000-2001 agricultural year, from four selected irrigation systems and rainfed areas in Java. The results indicate that irrigation has significant poverty reducing impacts. Poverty varies across irrigation systems and across locations within the systems. In general, crop productivity is relatively higher and poverty is lower in middle parts of the systems compared to head and tail parts. Further, locational differences in poverty are more pronounced in larger systems where locational inequities in water distribution and productivity differences are also high. Crop productivity, the size of landholdings and location of households are important determinants of poverty, in addition to demographic factors such as family size. The smaller the systems with well managed infrastructure, relatively equitable water distribution and diversified cropping patterns supported with market infrastructure, the greater the poverty reducing impacts of irrigation. Overall, the study findings suggest that improving the performance of irrigation systems by enhancing land and water productivity, diversifying cropping patterns and improving water distribution across locations would help reduce poverty in presently low productivity-high poverty parts of the systems.

Impacts of Irrigation Water User Allocations on Water Quality and Crop Productivity: The LCC Irrigation System in Pakistan

“…Agricultural productivity levels are low in Pakistan due to water scarcity and degraded land and water resources (Hussain et al, ; Hussain and Hanjra, ; Hussain et al, ). Wheat, which is the major staple food crop in Pakistan, is no exception as far as low productivity is concerned.…”

Why Impacts of Irrigation on Agrarian Dynamism and Livelihoods Are Contrasting: Evidence From Eastern Indian States

“…The smaller the irrigation systems with well-managed infrastructure, relatively equitable water distribution and diversified cropping patterns, the greater the impacts of irrigation. Improving the performance of irrigation systems by improving water distribution across locations and enhancing land and water productivity through diversifying cropping patterns would help improve agricultural performance in the presently low-productivity parts of the system (Hussain et al, 2006).…”

“…In a mega study to explore the links between irrigation and poverty alleviation in six Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and Indonesia) covering 26 irrigation systems, it was revealed that irrigation did significantly reduce poverty as measured by household income; however, poverty was still high in irrigation systems, averaging 34% (it varied from 6 to 65%) with significant inter-and intra-country differences in poverty incidence in irrigation systems (Hussain, 2007a). The locational differences (upstream-downstream poverty differences in India of about 11%) in poverty were more pronounced in larger irrigation systems (surface irrigation), where locational inequities in water distribution and agricultural productivity differences were also high (Hussain et al, 2006;Hussain, 2007b). The impact of groundwater irrigation on agriculture and poverty reduction is greater (Bhattarai and Narayanamoorthy, 2003;Shah, 2004;Narayanamoorthy, 2007), which also holds true in the context of the findings of present study.…”

Lisrel Analysis of Factors for Empowering Producers to Abolish Livelihood Poverty through Optimizing Agricultural Water Resources Management

“…Giordano (2007) believes that the increasing pressure on agricultural water use comes at a time when rural poverty reduction and national food security are major national goals. Hussain et al (2006) showed that negative social and environmental consequences often hurt the poor more than the non poor because the poor lack political power and the financial resources to avoid the potentially adverse impacts of irrigation, from physical displacements to health risks and land degradation. Akpabio et al (2007) reported that irrigation can increase the yields of most crops.…”