Development trajectories of river basins: a conceptual framework

River basin development / Water use / Water demand / Water supply / Water scarcity / Water allocation / Water conservation / Farm ponds / Tanks / Reservoirs / Irrigation management / Water use efficiency / Aquifers / Pumping

Hydraulic Bureaucracies and the Hydraulic Mission: Flows of Water, Flows of Power

Anchored in 19th century scientism and an ideology of the domination of nature, inspired by colonial hydraulic feats, and fuelled by technological improvements in high dam constructions and power generation and transmission, large-scale water resources development has been a defining feature of the 20th century. Whether out of a need to increase food production, raise rural incomes, or strengthen state building and the legitimacy of the state, governments – North and South, East and West – embraced the 'hydraulic mission' and entrusted it to powerful state water bureaucracies (hydrocracies). Engaged in the pursuit of iconic and symbolic projects, the massive damming of river systems, and the expansion of large-scale public irrigation these hydrocracies have long remained out of reach. While they have enormously contributed to actual welfare, including energy and food generation, flood protection and water supply to urban areas, infrastructural development has often become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, fuelling rent-seeking and symbolising state power. In many places projects have been challenged on the basis of their economic, social or environmental impacts. Water bureaucracies have been challenged internally (within the state bureaucracies or through political changes) and externally (by critiques from civil society and academia, or by reduced funding). They have endeavoured to respond to these challenges by reinventing themselves or deflecting reforms. This paper analyses these transformations, from the emergence of the hydraulic mission and associated water bureaucracies to their adjustment and responses to changing conditions

Anicut systems in Sri Lanka: The case of the Upper Walawe River Basin

Water resources / Tanks / Water use / River basins / Hydrology / Irrigation systems / Water shortage / Crops / Doemstic water / Fuelwood / Cultivation / Deforestation / Water supply / Economic development / Water management / Institutions / Land reform

Quelques aspects de la petite irrigation dans le Nordeste brésilien

Le Sertao, zone semi-aride du Nordeste brésilien, à pluviométrie très irrégulière, est confronté de manière cruciale au problème du stockage et de l'utilisation des ressources en eau. Longtemps zone d'élevage et d'agriculture pluviale de subsistance, le Sertao connaît, depuis une dizaine d'années, une importante vague d'expansion de l'irrigation : cette évolution remet en cause la valeur symbolique des ressources en eau (réserve pour l'alimentation en cas de sécheresse) et favorise l'émergence de nouveaux systèmes de production. Les auteurs font le point sur les diverses composantes de ce développement et sur les principaux problèmes qu'ils rencontrent. Ils résument les travaux de la Coopération Française et de l'ORSTOM à ce sujet. (Résumé d'auteur

Deviation of planned water demand from actual on farm water usage and suggestions for improvements: a case study from Uda Walawe irrigation scheme, Sri Lanka.

Water managers’ seasonal water allocation plans deviates from the actual water usage in the field due to many factors. Temporal and spatial variations that vary dramatically will affect the Field Irrigation Requirement (FIR) which is calculated. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to see how planned FIR deviates from the actual on farm water usage in Uda Walawe Irrigation Scheme. The study proposes suggestions for improvements in meeting and balancing the water demands. Irrigation issues and the interviews with farmers and officials were used for the analysis. Results show that actual water usage is always higher than the FIR and water manager’s planned. There are various factors contributes for these discrepancy. Two lines of improvement are outlined. One is adjustment of the volumes allocated to each D. The second possibility of improvement points to greater involvement of farmers at the scheme and branch levels. A way to tackle this is to devise a transparent process of allocation at the scheme level whereby representatives from the different branch canals would participate in the definition of sharing arrangements. MASL’s role would be to ensure bulk allocation at the head of canal. FOs are responsible for finding ways to distribute this volume within their area

Partsisipasi Masyarakat dalam Perencanaan Program Nasional Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Mandiri Pedesaan (PNPM-MP) (suatu Studi di Desa Tawa Bacan Tengah Kabupaten Halmahera Selatan)

The purpose of this study to determine the Community Participation in PlanningNational Program of Rural Community Empowerment (PNPM-MP) In the village of Tawa CentralBacan District South Halmahera as a general purpose of the National Program for CommunityEmpowerment in Rural Areas is to improve the livelihoods and employment opportunities of thepoor in rural areas. To determine the Public Participation in Planning National Program forCommunity Empowerment Rural (PNPM-MP), the researchers refer to the theories Ericson (inSlamet, 1994: 89) forms of community participation in development is divided into three stages,namely: participation in planning, participation in the implementation of, and participation inpemanfaatan.Dengan using qualitative method where the researcher as a key instrumentconsisting of 6 informants.Public participation in the planning of the National Program of Rural CommunityEmpowerment (PNPM-MP) in the village of Tawa not running optimally. Because according tothe reality in the field is only part of the population that participated in the form of thoughts orsuggestions and input in the preparation of development programs or the National Program forCommunity Empowerment of Rural .; Public participation in the implementation phase of menmore active role in the implementation of self-help in the form of energy, thoughts, and material.While women prefer the affairs of the household, as well as the community's participation in thedevelopment stage of utilization of the National Program for Community Empowerment is notgroomed properly, so it is not proper to be used again by the public.To achieve the general objectives of the National Program of Rural CommunityEmpowerment (PNPM-MP), the village government should give attention to disseminating theprogram to the public by calling or inviting the public to participate in the planning stage. Societyas a target group of the National Program for Community Empowerment Rural, it is expectedberperanaktif in the implementation of both men and women. Because basically the purpose ofPNPM-MP is to improve the lives of local people. As well as the village government needs toprovide a good understanding of the community in the maintenance of the results of developmentof the National Program for Community Empowerment or village government needs to create amaintenance team is the result of development of National Program of Rural Peoples, Mandiri(PNPM-MP) in the village of Tawa

A Systems Approach to Assessing the Viability of Grazing Legume Systems Across Europe

Forage legumes are important in grassland farming throughout much of the world because of their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, and hence they are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in low- input grazing farming systems in Europe. Nevertheless, the socio-economic impact of the adoption of the new legume based grazing technologies have been poorly researched (Rochon et al., 2004). Thus a methodology has been developed to: * Assess the on-farm costs and benefits of including different legume crops for animal production;* Determine the types of management systems and environmental conditions under which forage legumes may play a major part as grazing crops in production systems in Europe;* and Determine the wider social, economic and environmental implication of widespread adoption of the new technologies

Integrated water resources management as a new approach to water security

Access to safe water is a worldwide problem facing three quarters of a billion people every day. The problem of access to water is not primarily due to an overall scarcity of water, but rather the unequal geographical and seasonal distribution of the water resources. The key issue at stake here is, how to make water available. The new approach presented by international institutions for improving water access is Integrated Water Resource Management. This chapter questions this new approach and highlights the depoliticizing implications

The influence of Ga+^+-irradiation on the transport properties of mesoscopic conducting thin films

We studied the influence of 30keV Ga$^+$-ions -- commonly used in focused ion beam (FIB) devices -- on the transport properties of thin crystalline graphite flake, La$_{0.7}$Ca$_{0.3}$MnO$_3$ and Co thin films. The changes of the electrical resistance were measured in-situ during irradiation and also the temperature and magnetic field dependence before and after irradiation. Our results show that the transport properties of these materials strongly change at Ga$^+$ fluences much below those used for patterning and ion beam induced deposition (IBID), limiting seriously the use of FIB when the intrinsic properties of the materials of interest are of importance. We present a method that can be used to protect the sample as well as to produce selectively irradiation-induced changes.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, will be published in Nanotechnology 201

Challenges in the care of individuals with severe primary insulin-like growth factor-I deficiency (SPIGFD): an international, multi-stakeholder perspective

BACKGROUND: Severe primary insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) deficiency (SPIGFD) is a rare growth disorder characterized by short stature (standard deviation score [SDS] ≤ 3.0), low circulating concentrations of IGF-I (SDS ≤ 3.0), and normal or elevated concentrations of growth hormone (GH). Laron syndrome is the best characterized form of SPIGFD, caused by a defect in the GH receptor (GHR) gene. However, awareness of SPIGFD remains low, and individuals living with SPIGFD continue to face challenges associated with diagnosis, treatment and care. OBJECTIVE: To gather perspectives on the key challenges for individuals and families living with SPIGFD through a multi-stakeholder approach. By highlighting critical gaps in the awareness, diagnosis, and management of SPIGFD, this report aims to provide recommendations to improve care for people affected by SPIGFD globally. METHODS: An international group of clinical experts, researchers, and patient and caregiver representatives from the SPIGFD community participated in a virtual, half-day meeting to discuss key unmet needs and opportunities to improve the care of people living with SPIGFD. RESULTS: As a rare disorder, limited awareness and understanding of SPIGFD amongst healthcare professionals (HCPs) poses significant challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of those affected. Patients often face difficulties associated with receiving a formal diagnosis, delayed treatment initiation and limited access to appropriate therapy. This has a considerable impact on the physical health and quality of life for patients, highlighting a need for more education and clearer guidance for HCPs. Support from patient advocacy groups is valuable in helping patients and their families to find appropriate care. However, there remains a need to better understand the burden that SPIGFD has on individuals beyond height, including the impact on physical, emotional, and social wellbeing. CONCLUSIONS: To address the challenges faced by individuals and families affected by SPIGFD, greater awareness of SPIGFD is needed within the healthcare community, and a consensus on best practice in the care of individuals affected by this condition. Continued efforts are also needed at a global level to challenge existing perceptions around SPIGFD, and identify solutions that promote equitable access to appropriate care. Medical writing support was industry-sponsored