Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico

Water and watersheds are difficult to separate for management purposes. Providing irrigation as a supplement to rainfall for crop production requires considerable collective action at the watershed level to mobilize labor and other resources, as well as to make decisions and implement the distributi...

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Main Authors: Scott, Christopher A., Silva-Ochoa, Paula
Format: Artículo preliminar
Language:Inglés
Published: International Food Policy Research Institute 2001
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155654
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author Scott, Christopher A.
Silva-Ochoa, Paula
author_browse Scott, Christopher A.
Silva-Ochoa, Paula
author_facet Scott, Christopher A.
Silva-Ochoa, Paula
author_sort Scott, Christopher A.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Water and watersheds are difficult to separate for management purposes. Providing irrigation as a supplement to rainfall for crop production requires considerable collective action at the watershed level to mobilize labor and other resources, as well as to make decisions and implement the distribution of benefits. Small-scale water harvesting irrigation systems in Mexico have endured for centuries. They now face considerable challenges with changes in the ejido property rights over land and water, the growing importance of alternative sources of livelihoods, and increasing scarcity and competition for water within the river basins. Two case studies of water harvesting irrigation systems in the Lerma-Chapala Basin illustrate the response of communities to these challenges. In the first community, earlier collective action to build the irrigation reservoir provided a platform to address catchment resource use. Water here was less scarce than in the second community, allowing for good crop productivity through sufficient irrigation. Water scarcity in the second community increases crop risk; expected sorghum yields during the period of field study did not justify harvesting costs and the crop was used as stover. Members of the second community increased their dependence on off- farm income sources, but still responded collectively to external forces claiming the water." (text of Abstract)
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spelling CGSpace1556542025-01-10T06:37:47Z Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico Scott, Christopher A. Silva-Ochoa, Paula water management watershed management irrigation collectivization water availability sorghum multiple use irrigation systems rain Water and watersheds are difficult to separate for management purposes. Providing irrigation as a supplement to rainfall for crop production requires considerable collective action at the watershed level to mobilize labor and other resources, as well as to make decisions and implement the distribution of benefits. Small-scale water harvesting irrigation systems in Mexico have endured for centuries. They now face considerable challenges with changes in the ejido property rights over land and water, the growing importance of alternative sources of livelihoods, and increasing scarcity and competition for water within the river basins. Two case studies of water harvesting irrigation systems in the Lerma-Chapala Basin illustrate the response of communities to these challenges. In the first community, earlier collective action to build the irrigation reservoir provided a platform to address catchment resource use. Water here was less scarce than in the second community, allowing for good crop productivity through sufficient irrigation. Water scarcity in the second community increases crop risk; expected sorghum yields during the period of field study did not justify harvesting costs and the crop was used as stover. Members of the second community increased their dependence on off- farm income sources, but still responded collectively to external forces claiming the water." (text of Abstract) 2001 2024-10-24T12:42:23Z 2024-10-24T12:42:23Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155654 en Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Scott, Christopher A.; Silva-Ochoa, Paula. 2001. Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico. CAPRi working paper 0020. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155654
spellingShingle water management
watershed management
irrigation
collectivization
water availability
sorghum
multiple use
irrigation systems
rain
Scott, Christopher A.
Silva-Ochoa, Paula
Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico
title Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico
title_full Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico
title_fullStr Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico
title_short Collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the Lerma-Chapala Basin, Mexico
title_sort collective action for water harvesting irrigation in the lerma chapala basin mexico
topic water management
watershed management
irrigation
collectivization
water availability
sorghum
multiple use
irrigation systems
rain
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/155654
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