Using Applied Economics to Study Participatory Irrigation Institutions and their Impact in South Asia

Dear Colleagues,

For many decades, participatory approaches, with their emphasis on farmer-centred management, have been presented as panaceas for overcoming weaknesses in irrigation systems. Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) has assumed such a high status that it is regularly mandated by donors sponsoring irrigation upgrades in poor countries. However, the success of PIM is mixed, and economic analysis can help explain why PIM might work in some settings and not in others.

This Special Issue focusses on PIM and aims to scrutinise its usefulness particularly in south Asia. The focus on south Asian irrigation is driven by the reality that smallholder agriculture is destined to be the mainstay for this most populous region, at least in the medium term, and finding solutions to raise agricultural productivity is a high priority.

Applied economics can shed light on what drives better (or worse) performance in this setting. New Institutional Economics, Game Theory, and Behavioural Economics contributions are particularly useful and welcome.

Prof. Lin Crase
Dr. Bethany Cooper
Prof. Vasant P Gandhi
Dr. Bashir Ahmad
Guest Editors

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