- Resource System
- Watershed and associated topography
- Resource Units
- Freshwater for irrigation
- Location
- Andhra Pradesh, South India
The Kurnool-Cuddapah (KC) Canal Irrigation System draws water from Tungabhadra river through the Sunkesula Dam on flows through Cuddapah and Kurnool districts in state of Andhra Pradesh in South India providing water to around 120,000 hectares and servicing around 250,000 farm households (check). It was originally built by the Dutch for navigation purposes and later sold to the British and used for irrigation purposes. It was modernized somewhat around 1950s. The main canal is largely a "north-south" system but there is large system of distributaries that traverse eastward and westward from the main canal.
This case was first studied by Robert Wade in late 1970s-early 1980s in his book “The Village Republics: The Economic Conditions for Collective Action in South India.”
Wade’s study, which covered 31 irrigated and 10 unirrigated villages, found highest level of collective action in villages at thetail end and least at the head-end. Most other studies on CPRs focus on a single case where collective action is observed (or not). Wade studied the variation in the level of collective action along the same irrigation canal and so provides a much deeper analysis of the determinants of collective action.
Kurnool- Cuddapah (KC) canal large scale irrigation
Resource System
Headend: Water relatively abundant, soil poor quality-;ow moisture retention
Tailend: Water scarce. Soil quality variable - deep soil with high moisture content found away from main canal
Resource Users
Headend: Almost all small holding. Holdings consolidated
Tailend: Few very large landlords
Holdings fragmented
Public Infrastructure Providers
Headend: High stakes at upper levels. Irrigation Officials are main actors
Tailend: Low stakes at lower levels, Irrigation officials are not much involved
Public Infrastructure
Headend: Largely controlled by irrigation bureaucracy
Tailend: Village council – elite based. Bureaucracy is distant
Relationship 1
Main relationship between users and resource is preparing the field (soil), which includes fertilization of field through animal manure since chemical fertilizers were not used at the time. Choosing right crop mix and timing of sowing and harvest also important.
Relationship 2
Resource users and infrastructure providers (IP) are different people and often their incentives do not align. Infrastructure structure providers at two levels: 1) System level –financed and managed by Irrigation department. Villages at tail-end offer side payments bribes to IP to ensure water delivery. 2) Village level –financed and managed at village level – consist of field guards and common irrigators to coordinate cropping decisions, animal movement, and water flows
Relationship 3
irrigation system design is closely connected with characteristics of IP. The large scale of system, with only one large reservoir at head-end and control gates outside village boundaries gives lot of power to IP at higher levels, as opposed to farmers themselves. There are a large number of geographically dispersed irrigation officials and patrollers, with low peer pressure and no direct control by irrigation department. This system design gives IP at higher levels a lot of discretion to do as they wish.
Relationship 4
Given the large expanse of flat terrain, there is not much scope for informal monitoring and sanctioning. Formal set of contractual relationships with external monitors (hired field guards), irrigation officials at high levels (through side payments) and livestock providers (through auctioning). Resource and bio-physical characteristics make collective action very costly
Relationship 5
In this semi-arid region with low rainfall, most of which is concentrated in the monsoon period, public infrastructure is critical in providing water and making optimal use of available land for cropping and livestock operations. Marginal value of water is higher at the tail-end because of high soil quality and greater availability of labor, but assuring water to tail-end in order to plan and coordinate cropping and livestock operations is a challenge.
Relationship 6
Given the large scale and flat terrain, resource users are geographically dispersed and so informal relations alone are insufficient to guarantee water delivery to tail-enders. Thus soft infrastructure has to take the form of carefully designed contractual arrangements that align incentives and help coordinate resource use across space and time.
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Resource System)
Reduced flow in the river, late arrival of the monsoons, silting of the canals.
Exogenous Drivers 7 (Public Infrastructure)
Reduced flow in the river, late arrival of the monsoons, silting of the canals.
Exogenous Drivers 8 (Resource Users)
Organizational and policy changes at higher levels, technological changes
Exogenous Drivers 8 (Public Infrastructure Providers)
Organizational and policy changes at higher levels, technological changes
Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Resource Users)
(none specified)Human Infrastructure, Private and Human-Made (Public Infrastructure Providers)
(none specified)Aggarwal R, Arizona State University.
Brady U, Arizona State University.