An assessment of small-scale users inclusion in large-scale Water User Associations of South Africa

Faysse Nicolas. 2004. An assessment of small-scale users inclusion in large-scale Water User Associations of South Africa. Colombo : IWMI, 36 p. (IWMI Research Report, 84) ISBN 92-9090-573-5

Résumé : The management of water resources is being transformed in South Africa. All water users, especially the small-scale ones, are now invited to participate in this management. At the local level, the former whites-only Irrigation Boards (lBs) are to become more inclusive Water User Associations (WUAs), incorporating all water users, whether they have a formal water entitlement or not. However, the process of inclusion did not go smoothly: only one-sixth of the IBs had been transformed into WUAs in 2003, and the actual outcomes of small-scale user involvement in the already accepted WUAs are not obvious. This report reviews the process of inclusion of small-scale users in the new large-scale WUAs. In order to do this, it assesses what are the potential benefits of the inclusion of small-scale users in the new WUAs, what is the current situation and what are the main elements that enable or on the contrary prevent this inclusion. Small-scale user inclusion is defined here as a situation where (a) a strong relationship between small-scale user representatives and their constituencies is established; (b) small-scale users obtain the information they need, (c) voice their problems; and (d) influence decision-making. The research investigated the transformation of seven of these IBs into WUAs, as well as the creation of one large-scale, nonagricultural WUA. The analysis presented here uses information from the case studies, which are published elsewhere as International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Working Papers. In order to assess the potential benefits of having small-scale users on board, the research investigated the possible overlap between water-related problems of small-scale users and the functions of the WUAs. The presence of small-scale users in the WUA is always beneficial, even though they are faced with the problem of lack of funds for operation and maintenance. The possible benefit of the presence of drinking water users (rural communities and farm workers) stumbles on a lack of clarity when it comes to the responsibility of the WUA with regard to water quality and drinking water supply. The main element explaining success or failure in the inclusion of small-scale users comes from the fact that large-scale farmers are in charge of proposing what the WUA will be. These farmers have actively opened the IB to small-scale users only if the latter's activities have an impact on theirs, or if the small-scale users have to pay the fees of the WUA, e.g., which they will have to do if they are small-scale farmers. The commercial farmers are concerned about opening the management to nonpaying users, such as farm workers and rural communities. It appears that the lack of internal organization of small-scale users such as farm workers and rural communities is a major stumbling block. While the presence of small-scale users at the management committee helps them in terms of capacity building and enables them to voice their problems, such a practice has still proved to be insufficient. In two of the cases studied, the small-scale farmers had rights to more water than they were allocated, but they did not receive the information that would have permitted them to claim more water. Finally, large-scale farmers always remain in control of the decision-making. This report recommends external monitoring of small-scale user inclusion after the transformation of an IB into a WUA. The problem-oriented approach of this research may also facilitate assessment of the inclusion of small-scale users in the catchment management agencies of South Africa, as well as in water resource management organizations in other developing countries where large- and small-scale users share water from the same source.

Mots-clés Agrovoc : gestion des eaux, utilisation de l'eau, eau d'irrigation, eau potable, association d'agriculteurs, étude de cas

Mots-clés géographiques Agrovoc : Afrique du Sud

Mots-clés complémentaires : Association d'usagers de l'eau

Classification Agris : E20 - Organisation, administration et gestion des entreprises ou exploitations agricoles

Auteurs et affiliations

• Faysse Nicolas, CIRAD-TERA (BOL)

Source : Cirad - Agritrop (https://agritrop.cirad.fr/533039/)

Métriques

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