Is Farmer's Agricultural Income Dependent on Type of Irrigation Delivery System?

The study was conducted to verify the principles of the century-old rotational irrigation water delivery system (locally known as the warabandi system) in Pakistan. Fair allocation of water and equitable distribution of water shortage (if any) are the two main principles of the warabandi system. Two watercourses (1-R and 3-R) in lower Indus River Basin were selected and 86 farmers were interviewed in a face-to-face survey. A questionnaire asking for their farm income, weekly water share, farming experience, water shortage, and other information was distributed to the farmers. We found that both principles of the warabandi system were not fully implemented in the surveyed watercourses. Unfair distribution of irrigation water to the farmers was observed within and across watercourses. Water shortage was also not fairly distributed between the farmers. The ineffectiveness of the warabandi principles was causing economical and social impacts on the local farmers. The farmer’s income was dependent on the type of irrigation delivery system. More flexibility in irrigation water availability may increase the farm income.