用水户参与灌溉管理的调研

中国灌区协会组织专家对湖北省东风渠、漳河、杨树河水库、引汉等4个灌区的7个农民用水者协会进行调研．认为农民用水者协会的建立深受农民的欢迎，避免了搭车收费，减轻了农民的负担，提高了灌溉保证率，增强了用水户的责任感。但农民用水者协会在运行过程中还存在一些问题，需要政府相关政策的支持，同时组建用水者协会时．要规范运作，以保证用水者协会的良性运行。     

组建农民用水户协会应注意的问题

近几年国家对农田水利建设的重视和有关政策的支持，使农民参加用水户协会建设的积极性日益高涨，农民用水户协会发展迅速．并积累了不少的经验。同时，由于目前关于农民用水户协会的理论研究和政策制定还不够完善和具体，对用水户协会的前期调查研究工作基础较弱，对基层干部和群众的宣传培训也还不够，有些用水户协会运行质量不够理想，影响其长期运行和发展。通过对近年用水户协会组建与运行的实践分析，提出用水户协会组建过程中应注意登记注册，并应该拥有独立的财务，健全的机构；用户水协会的规模也应适度。     

Lost in transition? The introduction of water users associations in Uzbekistan

A “policy as process” perspective is adopted to analyze the early period of water users associations (WUAs) in Uzbekistan (2000–2006). The article is based on extensive fieldwork (in 2005–2006) and analysis of policy and other relevant documents. It is shown that WUAs have a role and logic beyond water management and are used by the state as instruments with which to monitor and regulate “state-ordered” agricultural production. Through a state-centric policy process with room for local experimentation, the WUA was fit into the socio-political landscape of continued state control and the increased role of individualized risks and benefits.     

The limits to participation: branch-canal water user associations in the Egyptian Delta

Egypt has valuable experience with water user associations in irrigated agriculture. Internationally funded irrigation improvement projects aiming to increase irrigation efficiency have introduced water user associations at the branch-canal level alongside improvements to the infrastructure in the Central Delta of Egypt. In this article we review those water management practices in which these associations are expected to participate. Our main finding is that their role in these areas is minimal and that they are generally weak organizations. Either such organizations should be genuinely strengthened legally and politically, and given real responsibilities and resources, or the entire idea of participation should be abandoned.