Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal
Nepal has a long history of irrigation, including government and farmer-managed irrigation systems that are labor- and skill-intensive. Widespread male migration has important effects on Nepalese society. How institutions such as Water Users’ Associations (WUAs) respond and adapt, is therefore criti...
| Autores principales: | , , |
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| Formato: | Artículo preliminar |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
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International Food Policy Research Institute
2021
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| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143429 |
| _version_ | 1855521533933387776 |
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| author | Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Pradhan, Prachanda Zhang, Wei |
| author_browse | Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Pradhan, Prachanda Zhang, Wei |
| author_facet | Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Pradhan, Prachanda Zhang, Wei |
| author_sort | Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Nepal has a long history of irrigation, including government and farmer-managed irrigation systems that are labor- and skill-intensive. Widespread male migration has important effects on Nepalese society. How institutions such as Water Users’ Associations (WUAs) respond and adapt, is therefore critical to the understanding of rural transformation and the likely impact on gender equality, food production, and rural livelihoods. This paper examines the effects of male migration on institutional change in WUAs, women’s roles, technological change, and outcomes affecting effectiveness of irrigation systems based on a mixed methods study, combining a phone survey of 336 WUA leaders from all provinces in Nepal with qualitative data from case studies in 10 irrigation systems. Results indicate WUAs have adapted rules to increase women’s participation and monetize the contributions for maintenance. Women exercise agency in whether and how to interact with WUAs. Mechanization has reduced the need for some male labor, though the ability to mechanize is limited by hilly terrain and small plot sizes. Overall, systems are adapting to male migration, with relatively low idling of land or labor shortages causing deterioration of the systems, though there are concerns with the high levels of women’s labor burdens. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace143429 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publishDateRange | 2021 |
| publishDateSort | 2021 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1434292025-12-02T21:03:24Z Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Pradhan, Prachanda Zhang, Wei gender technology water agriculture irrigation feminization migration water use governance Nepal has a long history of irrigation, including government and farmer-managed irrigation systems that are labor- and skill-intensive. Widespread male migration has important effects on Nepalese society. How institutions such as Water Users’ Associations (WUAs) respond and adapt, is therefore critical to the understanding of rural transformation and the likely impact on gender equality, food production, and rural livelihoods. This paper examines the effects of male migration on institutional change in WUAs, women’s roles, technological change, and outcomes affecting effectiveness of irrigation systems based on a mixed methods study, combining a phone survey of 336 WUA leaders from all provinces in Nepal with qualitative data from case studies in 10 irrigation systems. Results indicate WUAs have adapted rules to increase women’s participation and monetize the contributions for maintenance. Women exercise agency in whether and how to interact with WUAs. Mechanization has reduced the need for some male labor, though the ability to mechanize is limited by hilly terrain and small plot sizes. Overall, systems are adapting to male migration, with relatively low idling of land or labor shortages causing deterioration of the systems, though there are concerns with the high levels of women’s labor burdens. 2021-11-30 2024-05-22T12:14:05Z 2024-05-22T12:14:05Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143429 en https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134159 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134190 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141211 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134927 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela; Pradhan, Prachanda; and Zhang, Wei. 2021. Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2061. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134815. |
| spellingShingle | gender technology water agriculture irrigation feminization migration water use governance Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Pradhan, Prachanda Zhang, Wei Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal |
| title | Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal |
| title_full | Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal |
| title_fullStr | Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal |
| title_full_unstemmed | Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal |
| title_short | Migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in Nepal |
| title_sort | migration and gender dynamics of irrigation governance in nepal |
| topic | gender technology water agriculture irrigation feminization migration water use governance |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143429 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT meinzendickruths migrationandgenderdynamicsofirrigationgovernanceinnepal AT pradhanprachanda migrationandgenderdynamicsofirrigationgovernanceinnepal AT zhangwei migrationandgenderdynamicsofirrigationgovernanceinnepal |