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Participation of Local People in Water Management: Evidence from the Mae Sa Watershed, Northern Thailand

Author: Helene Heyd and Andreas Neef

Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 60

ISBN-13:

In the early 1990s, Thailand launched an ambitious program of decentralized governance, conferring greater responsibilities upon sub-district administrations and providing fiscal opportunities for local development planning. This process was reinforced by Thailand's new Constitution of 1997, which explicitly assures individuals, communities and local authorities the right to participate in the management of natural resources. Drawing on a study of water management in the Mae Sa watershed, northern Thailand, this study analyzes to what extent the constitutional right for participation has been put into practice. To this end, a stakeholder analysis was conducted in the watershed, with a focus on the local people's interests and strategies in water management and the transformation of participatory policies through government agencies at the local level. Government line departments were categorized into development- and conservation-oriented agencies. While government officers stressed the importance of stakeholder inclusion and cooperation with the local people, there is a sharp contrast between the official rhetoric and the reality on the ground. The analysis reveals that government officers, particularly in the conservation-oriented agencies, are not disposed to devolve power to lower levels due to the fear of losing their traditional mandate and persistent stereotypes about local communities' incompetence to manage water resources in a sustainable way. On their part, villagers do not perceive a tangible change in the implementation of water policies and retain a widely negative image of government officers. In conclusion, the participation of local people in development activities and in the conservation and management of natural resources seems to be currently at the stage of passive or, at best, consultative participation. In order to deal with the severely increasing water problems in northern Thailand, decision-makers have to recognize the value of participation and promote a change of government officers' attitude towards local people through training programs and incentives. Communities and individuals need to be made aware of their constitutional rights and potentials for cooperating with government agencies and participating in their projects.

Irrigation and Water Policies in the Mekong Region

Author: François Molle

Publisher: IWMI

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 47

ISBN-13: 9290906081

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This report documents current irrigation and water policies in the Mekong countries. It successively reviews planning issues, water policies and legal frameworks, the setting up of water policy "apex bodies," participatory policies, and IWRM/river basin management.

Governance of Urban Wastewater Reuse for Agriculture

Author: Ganesh Keremane

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2017-05-09

Total Pages: 117

ISBN-13: 331955056X

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This book presents a conceptual and practical tool for those involved directly or indirectly in the planning and management of basic provision of water supply, wastewater and stormwater services in metropolitan regions by offering insights into governance paradigms and institutional arrangements for urban wastewater reuse in agriculture from Australia and India. Instead of focusing on the technical aspects of designing and building infrastructure, it provides a better understanding of the institutional and governance challenges of managing urban wastewater, particularly for reuse in agriculture. As water supplies fall and water stress increases in many areas, the potential of wastewater as a resource is being widely recognized. Today, wastewater (re)use has become an attractive option for conserving and expanding available water supplies. While wastewater (re)use can have many applications, its use in agriculture is the most established, and the one with the longest tradition. Given the growing competition for freshwater from industry and cities, without doubt there is going to be a rapid increase in the global use of treated wastewater, making improved wastewater use in agriculture an emerging priority. Even though it is a vast resource if we reclaim it properly, often most wastewater is wasted. Therefore, in order to realize the full potential of this resource, decision support in policy design and implementation (Institutions and Governance) is key. Institutions and governance frameworks need to provide for the rights of access, rights of ownership, rights to manage source and treated water and the obligations of final use of recycling operations.

Water Rights and Social Justice in the Mekong Region

Author: Kate Lazarus

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2012-06-25

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 1136538879

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The Mekong Region has come to represent many of the important water governance challenges faced more broadly by the mainland Southeast Asian region. This book focuses on the complex nature of water rights and social justice in the Mekong region. The chapters delve into the diverse social, political and cultural dynamics that shape the various realities and scales of water governance in the region, in an effort to bring to the forefront some of the local nuances required in the formulation of a larger vision of justice in water governance. It is hoped that this contextualized analysis will deepen our understanding of the potential of, and constraints, on water rights in the region, particularly in relation to the need to realize social justice. The authors show how vitally important it is that water governance is democratized to allow a more equitable sharing of water resources and counteract the pressures of economic growth that may pose risks to social welfare and environmental sustainability.