Some Issues in Irrigation Macro Strategies

ABSTRACT

Mid- and long-term strategizing of irrigation development can improve coherence of a country's goals and policies and their actual implementation. It can also help identify the most desirable set of alternatives within economic, social and political objectives and constraints. Strategizing for these purposes should occur at national and provincial policy levels (macrostrategy), but the task should not be relegated exclusively to central planning entities. Concerned agency officials and user representatives responsible for field decisions should be engaged in a two-way continuing dialogue so that the plan is responsive to field realities and that implementation decisions by responsible field officials take into account national strategy considerations. Some of the principal macrostrategy variables including national development goals; policies relating to water rights, price fixing and subsidies, water charges and recurrent costs and special country considerations; the process of identifying and prioritizing investment alternatives; and some general strategy concepts are discussed briefly.