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COUNTRY WATER RESOURCES DEMAND MANAGEMENT FOR IRRIGATION
ASSESSMENT REPORT
WATER RESOURCES DEMAND MANAGEMENT AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL
(MYANMAR)
1. CURRENT STATUS of WATER RESOURCES DEMAND CONDITIONS and
DEMAND MANAGEMENT MEASURES
(a)
Myanmar’s economy is mainly based on agricultural products and water
resources management is important issue for agricultural sector. As increasing of
agricultural land area, water resources demand management is more and more in
vital role for irrigation purpose. In order to achieve the demand requirement for
irrigation, dams, weirs and canal systems were implemented through out the country.
During last two decades, (233) Nos. of irrigation facilities had been constructed using
national budget in order to supply the demand requirement of additional (1.14) million
hectare of agriculture lands.
Because of population growth and export demand on agriculture products,
water resources demand will be increased in future. Current irrigated area of
Myanmar and neighboring countries (2008) statistics data is shown as follow.
Country
World
Asia
Myanmar (2009-10)
Thailand
Vietnam
Indonesia
Malaysia
Philippines
Lao PDR
Cambodia
China
Bangladesh
India
Total Sown Area
Irrigated Area
(mil Ha)
(mil Ha)
1527
538
13
19
9
37
8
10
1
4
123
9
169
Percent
287
186
1.7
5
3
5
0.4
1
0.3
0.3
58
5
57
18.8
34.6
13.1
26.5
31.9
12.1
4.8
13.9
22.3
7.0
47.3
57.5
33.8
Source: Selected Indicators of Food and Agriculture Development
in the Asia Pacific Region, 1999-2009, RAP Publication 2010/12.
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Fresh water withdrawals in Myanmar particularly in agriculture and industry
sectors are on the upsurge. The following is the situation.
Available fresh water
resources/year (surface +
ground water)
Km3 /
m3/
year
capita/
year
1577
26.3
Water withdrawals
Sector wise water use
Agriculture
(Km3/Year)
Domestic
(Km3/Year)
Industry
(Km3/Year)
Total
(Km3/Year)
42
90 %
*3
6%
*2
4%
* 47
100 %
* To confirm
The above statement indicates water use by agriculture sector is much more
than the use of the two other sectors. This is the prevailing situation and for the
moment, Government Agencies and Private sector can exploit the water resources
without fixed quotas yet, due to abundant nature but there is definitely a requirement
at the national level to check and watch the withdrawals and impose rules whenever
required.
(b)
Currently, Myanmar is sufficient the food for the country and surplus to export.
But, according to the increasing of the population and food requirement in future,
water demand will also be increased. According to remaining irrigable area and
abundant water resources, it can believe that demand for the future could be fulfill a
need. Based on available government’s budget, Irrigation Department has laid down
a plan for 100 Nos. of irrigation projects for beneficial demand area of (0.16) million
hectare in future.
(c)
The significant adaptation measure for demand condition is disseminating the
water management technology to farmers and Water User Groups up to basic level
in order to control the water losses and wastage. Another adaptation measure is that
the surplus water from upstream farmland is reused in downstream to use for general
purposes. On the other hand, farmers are motivated to select the less water
requirement crops for cultivation where the area of water resource is limited.
(d)
Myanmar, itself, is currently sufficient for food security and it has abundant
water resources except in Central Dry Zone. Therefore, there is no a significant
difficulty or problem in terms of food security. For some part of farmlands in Central
Dry Zone, river and underground water pumping projects, overflow artesian tube
wells and village-wise small tanks construction projects are being implemented for
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demand mitigation measures. Trans basin water diversion projects are also being
implemented in order to transfer the irrigation water from abundant water resources
area of hilly regions to shortage demand area in Central Dry Zone. Data for already
implemented pumping projects to mitigate the demand measures undertaken by
Water Resources Utilization Department is shown as follow.
Project types
Number
1. River water pumping
2. Ground water pumping
Total
Beneficial Area (Hectare)
327
201,095
8,279
41,537
8,606
242,632
Source: Myanmar Agriculture in Brief 2011
(e)
As mentioned in above, Myanmar is sufficient the food for people and could
export surplus agri-products to abroad. There are no significant events of crop
damage seriously due to water shortage problems. Irrigation practice in Myanmar is
that the water distribution plan was established before the irrigation season based on
adjustment of demand and supply condition for the year. During practice in water
distribution plan with appropriate cropping pattern, rotation system is practiced or
follow in advance to cultivate the crops which need with less water requirement in
order to response the demand in some drought season. In some area with available
water resources, small village seasonal and temporary embankments were
constructed in creeks or rivers in late season, to respond the water requirement of
summer paddy field as supplementary irrigation water.
(f)
Proper irrigation water rotation plan, river or ground water pumping works,
small tanks construction works and construction of modulating dam on upstream of
existing dam were measured as for demand recovery plans.
2. DEMAND MANAGEMENT POLICIES and PROGRAMS – NATIONAL LEVEL
(a)
Myanmar is agriculture based country and the weather is favorable for
agriculture. Therefore, Myanmar is rich in water resources and surplus with various
crops and safe in food security. Because of the population increasing, construction of
agricultural infrastructures such as dams, weirs, canals and pumping works are being
implemented in order to fulfill a need of demand for water and safer for food security
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in future. In this connection, it was adopted that water management issue is the most
important sector for agriculture development. The policies for the demand
management of efficient use of irrigation water are as follow.
(b)
(i)
To reduce the irrigation water losses
(ii)
To select the proper cropping pattern for the season
(iii)
To manage and consider the water requirement for each crop
At present, only about (3 %) of the annual fresh water resources (870) million
acres feet per annum are being utilized annually. Agricultural production for food
security and demand requirement is in balance condition at national level and
even in some irrigation systems have surplus water more than enough the field
demand. Currently, Myanmar has not specific national level policies that address
demand for irrigation. But in local level, there are some instructions to limit the
demand requirement for the irrigated crops depending on climate condition in
each irrigation system of the project-wise.
In Myanmar, generally, crop water requirement rate for paddy in one acre per
one cropping season is (6 acre-feet) (7400 cubic meter), cotton (3 acre-feet)
(3700 cubic meter), sugar cane (4 acre-feet) (4900 cubic meter) and beans, gram
and pulse is (2 acre-feet) (2500 cubic meter) for water demand. Beans, gram and
pulse are cash crops and these are generally cultivated as second crops after
monsoon paddy cultivation where especially in the limited water resources area.
(c)
National demand management programs are
(i)
Providing the on-farm water management training programs for
farmers’ Water User Groups in order to understand the effective use
of water.
(ii)
Supporting the Land Consolidation programs for the traditional farm
lands to reduce the water losses.
(iii)
Practicing the appropriate cropping pattern to adjust the water
requirement.
Moreover, formation of well-organized Water User Groups (WUGs), providing
the trainings for farmers and technical assistance to village embankment and village
irrigation works for rural development were being implemented by Irrigation
Department. Following table shows the constructed irrigation projects to respond the
demand management measures in past era.
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Irrigation/Dam project
Number
Myanmar ancient Kings’ era to up to date
Beneficial area (Ha)
371
1,684,956
Source: Myanmar Agriculture in Brief 2011
On going projects and under investigating projects for implementing in future
are mentioned in following table.
No. Irrigation/Dam project
1.
Number
On going projects
Beneficial area (Ha)
31
504,027
( + hydropower installation, 2036 MW)
2.
Under investigation
Total
100
160,005
131
664,032
3. THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSONS LEARNED (FROM MYANMAR) AND BEST
PRACTICES in DEMAND MANAGEMENT.
The recommendations and best practices for effective and efficient use of
irrigation water in demand management are as follows.
(a) Farmers should actively cooperate with Irrigation Department to do the necessary
activities in demand management.
(b) Appropriate cultivation should be performed with proper water rotation system.
(c) Crops should be cultivated in wide area continuously and cropping pattern should
be convenient with tail and head canal locations in order to use the water
effectively.
(d) Effective on-farm water management should be performed to reduce the water
losses by Land Consolidation.
(e) Irrigation water should be utilized efficiently by farmers, organizers and supply
side’s cooperation.
(f) Farmers are familiar with traditional practices. Therefore, conducting the on-farm
water management trainings for farmers need to be more performed.
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4. PROBLEMS
AND
CHALLENGES
of
DEMAND
MANAGEMENT
AND
ASSISTANCE REQUIRED
(a)
Three most important problems and challenges (1 ~ 3 ranked)
(i) Weakness in Water User Groups
Because of the weakness of unity and strong Water User Groups, it was
difficult to follow the water distribution plan and equitable water distribution could
not be distributed. Most of the WUGs are not performing in well functions and
systematic approach tends to difficult in demand management. And it was also
difficult to train the farmers effectively for water saving.
(ii) Low canal efficiency
In General, canal losses in primary to tertiary canal units are too high (over 40
%) because most parts of the canals are constructed by earthen soil. Therefore,
canal lining works should be done at least in Main Canals in order to improve the
canal efficiency.
(iii) Lack of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) concept
All of the canal systems from head works, main canal to distributaries unit
were constructed and maintained by Government budget. In normally, farmers’
participation in construction and maintenance of tertiary unit is very low and does
not exist in active participation because of the weakness of WUGs. Moreover,
some farmers do not participate actively in tertiary canal maintenance and it
tends to low down the tertiary canal efficiency and burden for Irrigation
Department. In addition, low water tax is also leading to deficit budget for
Department.
(b)
Financial and technical assistance are required for lining construction in main
canals and distributaries unit in order to increase the irrigation canal efficiency.
Technical assistance is also required to disseminate the PIM concept not only to
farmers but also to Departmental staffs. New initiatives of irrigation methods,
equipments and investments will also be needed.
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(c)
The new demand initiatives were being developed in Myanmar as following
types.
(i)
Extension of new agriculture lands
(ii)
Increasing of the irrigated farm lands
(iii)
Extension of the urban area
(iv)
Increasing of the industrial zones
Specific climate change “adaptation”/”mitigation” programs at the national
(d)
level for food security are as follows.
(1)
Irrigation Department is implementing the construction of village-wise
small tanks through out the country especially in Central Dry Zone.
(2)
Trans basin water diversion projects were being performed in order to
mitigate the water shortage problem, divert water from abundant water
resources of other river basin to the deficit river basin by using link channels
and diversion structures.
Irrigation Department is conducting the farmers’ trainings to improve
(3)
the
water
management
technology
where
the
farmlands
faced
to
adopt/mitigate the climate change impacts.
(e)
The most important factors to consider and principles to follow in demand
management policies should be as follows.
(1)
Poverty reduction for rural development should be performed, aims to
motivate the farmers participation in water management in terms of financial
investment and technical know-how.
(2)
Allow to cultivate the cash crops which have less water requirement in
irrigated area as a second crop, under the consideration without suffering on
targeted rice production.
(3)
Promote the formation of well-organized Water User Groups.
(4)
Promote the farmers’ trainings for capacity building to enhance the
water management technology in order to enhance the understanding of
water saving.
(5)
Development of on-farm level inviting participation in terms of
technical know-how and investments from sources inside the country and
abroad, under the guide lines and principles.
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5. CONCLUSION
Myanmar has rather big natural water resources of surface and underground
nature. According to development of agriculture, urbanization and industrial sectors,
water resources in future demand side will be more and more increased in these
sectors. Reuse or recycle of water among these sectors could be mitigated the
demand management problems. To solving the challenges, not only to promote the
capacity building such as water management trainings, technology disseminations
but also to improve the infrastructures in irrigation sector. Advance technologies,
investments and international cooperation in water sector from inside and abroad
could be invited for sustainability of water resources demand management for
irrigation in Myanmar.