Progress and problems in irrigation investment in South and Southeast Asia

Abstract

The global irrigated area has increased from 40 million ha in 1900 to more than 22.5 million ha. Irrigation investment has accounted for 28 per cent of all World Bank funding during the past decade. However, since 1980 there has been a distinct diminishing in the rate of irrigation development. Irrigation investments have not proven to be as productive as originally expected. In fact, problems of funding for O & M and overall irrigation management have become so acute that major donors are starting to seriously question the wisdom of additional irrigation investment. How well third world countries are able to develop and implement programmes to increase funding for O & M and improve the quality of management will determine the level of future investment in irrigation