The socio-cultural aspect of irrigation management: the case of two community-based small-scale irrigation schemes in the upper Tekeze Basin, Tigray region

This study attempted to find out irrigation management problems in two community-based small-scale irrigation projects of government intervention in the Upper Tekeze Basin. The analytical frame of the study was based on the definition of irrigation in the organizational sense. The central arguments of the research are that irrigators should not be taken as passive recipients of external intervention as to simply follow pre-planned and laid-down rules, and that irrigation technologies are socially constructed, have social requirements for use and social effects. The objectives of the study were to identify irrigation activities that are associated with problems in irrigation management performance; and to find out socio-cultural contexts that entail management problems in irrigation activities. Secondary data review, key informant interview, focus group discussion and household interview survey were used as methods of data collection. The data were collected in two stages - reconnaissance and second round visit to the study area. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used for the data analysis. Readily quantifiable data (most of the information from the close-ended questions of the survey questionnaire) were entered into the SPSS program, and the output was seen using tabulation and cross tabulation with values of percentage. Most information from key informant interviews, focus group discussions and openended questions were analyzed by using qualitative description. The major findings are the following: Irrigation activities associated with major problems in managing the socio-cultural issues in the two study schemes are operation, maintenance, water allocation, water distribution, decision-making and conflict management whereas socio-cultural contexts entailing management problems in irrigation activities are land rights, labour shortage linked with gender of household heads and religion, shortage and inappropriate usage of supporting services, problems in input and output market, and local institutions.