Zwarteveen, M.

English

Research Papers in Economics

J 
ISSN 1012-988X  lFlMITI§  Newsletter of the Farmer-Managed Irrigation Systems Network 
No.  11  Published by International lITIgation Management Institute  December 1992 
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Jl M f  ,- ~9o.~  GENDER ISSUES AND IRRIGATION: 
"-'r,  tV'. I  '''SOME EXPERIENCES AND INITIATIVES  .  ~\, 
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::"'~~.:f.f'~-' iH"'!,!-!.'  . 
We  were"ltappy-lo receive quite a number of 
reactions  to  our request for  information  and 
experiences  on gender-related questions in 
irrigation. 'The reactions prove there is a growing 
awareness that effective irrigation planning and 
management  approaches need to  take gender 
considerations into account. As a result, there is 
also  a  growing need  for  information  on 
approaches,  mechanisms and strategies  to 
adequately recognize andaddress  gender-related 
issues in the context of irrigation. A number of 
people  wrote to  us,  requesting information, 
training materials and methodologies. Collecting 
and  evaluating past and ongoing experiences 
constitute  the initial steps in developing this 
information. We would therefore encourage you 
to keep in touch with us and to share with us, and 
others, your findings and experiences. 
Firstattempts to improve the gender sensitiveness 
ofirrigation-related activities have been made in 
Bangladesh,  Indonesia, India,  Tanzania and 
BurkinaFaso.'Theexperiences show that involving 
and  accommodating both male  and female 
stakeholders  in irrigation systems require a 
somewhat different approach, first of  all, because 
women water users' needs and  interests are often 
not  well-known or understood, and second, 
because  women often face  specific constraints 
and are more difficult to reach than men. Women 
. often lack institutional support, and often have 
. less  secure access  to  and control of critical 
Aparticipatory approach  including  communicat­
ing and interacting with both female and male 
farmers can  help to identify and  address women's 
and men's shared and conflicting interests and 
needs. Thisis emphasized in two sets ofguidelines, 
one prepared by SAWA (a consultancy bureau) 
and  the other by the Netherlands Embassy in 
India.  'These guidelines aim to assist irrigation 
and designers to recognize and address 
considerations in the planning, design 
and implementation of irrigation projects. 
The  need for research aimed at analyzing and 
understanding the various agricultural, irrigation 
and management activities performed by women 
and men and the  way  in  which  these are 
interdependent  were  stressed  by various 
respondents. Women need to be recognized and 
addressed in their capacities as producers and 
providers, and not just in their domestic roles. In 
many existing irrigation systems, isolated small­
scale income-generating projects have resulted 
from  the necessity  to  comply  with  donor 
requirements to pay attention to women's and/ 
or gender issues. 'The experience has shown that 
by merely adding a  women's component to 
existing or planned irrigation projects will often 
have a  very limited impact, and may in itself 
aggravate gender inequalities in the targeted 
activities. 
Some of the more interesting experiences and 
initiatives are summarized in greater detail  below. 
If you would like to have more information, you 
could either contact us, or communicate directly 
with the authors. 
lMargreet Zwarteveen, Associate Expert, Gender Issues and 
Irrigation, IlMI] 
IN TffiS ISSUE 
Groundwater (Outcome of 

Asian Regional Workshop) ............. 8 

Inventory  .......................................... 14 

General Articles ...............................  17 

Publications  ...................................... 22 


Gender issues and irrigation: Some experiences and initiatives

http://publications.iwmi.org/pdf/H012290.pdf

Gender issues and irrigation: Some experiences and initiatives

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Research Papers in Economics