Water institutions: is formalisation the answer? (A study of water user associations in Andhra Pradesh)
Reddy, V.R.; Reddy, P.P.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics 57(3): 519-534
2002
Document Number: 219996
This paper compares the formal and informal institutional arrangements in irrigation management in Andhra Pradesh, India, based on fieldwork conducted in June 2002 in two villages located on the tail-end of the Kurnool-Cuddapah canal. Specifically, the paper: critically reviews the A.P. Farmers' Management of Irrigation Systems Act of 1997 and examines the functioning of the water users' associations (WUAs); compares the formal and informal institutions in terms of their structure, functioning, and effectiveness; and suggests policy interventions to make formal institutions more effective. It is indicated that informal or socially embedded institutions are more effective than the formal WUAs. The reason being that informal institutions reflect commitment and cohesion, as they evolved from within the system. More importantly, they are flexible in adapting to the changing situations. On the other hand, formal institutions are rigid and rule bound.