Irrigation development and its impacts on farm productivity and income distribution in Central Dry Zone Area, Myanmar

This study aimed to analyze the impact of irrigation systems on farm productivity and income distribution in the central dry zone area of Myanmar. The study covered the Wann Twin and Nyaung U townships in Mandalay Division, Myanmar. The area under cultivation, monsoon rice productivity, cropping intensity, and farm income were higher in irrigated area than in rainfed area. Between dam and pump irrigated area; cultivated area, farm productivity, and farm income were higher in the former than in the latter. In dam irrigation system, head area had lower productivity, cropping intensity, and farm income compared with middle and tail areas. Upstream area of pump irrigation system had higher productivity and farm income compared with middle and downstream areas. Among rainfed, dam and pump irrigated areas, gross margin for monsoon rice was highest in dam area. The gross margins were not significantly different across head, middle and tail users of dam irrigated area. In pump irrigated area, gross margin was highest in upstream area. Irrigation and other factors such as fertilizer, labour, age of the household head, credit, and soil quality had significant effect on productivity of monsoon rice. Between dam and pump irrigation system contributed more in increasing farm productivity. However, locational differences in dam irrigation system had no significant effect on productivity. In pump irrigation system, upstream area performed better in terms of productivity and farm production or output. Income inequality was higher in irrigated area than rainfed area. Dam irrigated area had higher Gini ratio than pump irrigated area. The farther from the water source, the larger in inequality of income in both irrigation systems. The incidence of poverty was highest in rainfed area. The Sen poverty indices of rainfed, dam and pump irrigated areas were 0.64, 0.32 and 0.55, respectively. Middle area of dam irrigation system had lower poverty incidence compared with head and tail areas. For pump irrigation system, the farther from the water source, the greater the poverty incidence. The determinants of poverty are absence of irrigation, low gross value product per hectare, small farm size, and large family size. Dam irrigation system performed better than pump irrigation system in reducing the probability of household being poor. However, locational differences had no effect on reducing poverty. The study recommended the following: (1) improvement in water management, operation and maintenance of existing irrigation facilities, (2) providing small irrigation system for rainfed farmers and production technology for high value/diversified crops, (3) providing awareness training to farmers for improving managerial skills and for family planning, (4)improvement in research and development, and (5) suggestions for further study.