Socio-technical issues in diversifying rice-based irrigation systems

Abstract

Since the early 60s many rice-producing countries in Asia have launched agricultural diversification projects to stimulate farm productivity. However, these projects have succeeded in only a few countries. Perhaps, the pressure to diversify agriculture, especially the irrigated rice systems, were less compelling then than today.

At present, the water supply scarcity in rice based irrigation systems and the low price of rice in the world market will constrain irrigation personnel and farmers to veer away from monoculture rice systems. As rice irrigation systems can hardly maintain productivity and equity under limited water supplies, they will diversify into less water-demanding non -rice crops. Similarly, as farmers continue to reel under low profits, sometimes losses, from rice farming they will consider crop diversification.

This paper examines the driving and restraining forces in crop diversification, especially in irrigated rice-based systems. Technical, social and institutional issues in crop diversification are being presented to provide insights on (1) how existing rice-based irrigation systems can be operated or rehabilitated to permit cropping systems flexibilities and/or (2) designing and constructing new rice based irrigation schemes for crop diversification.