Impact of Irrigation Development on Livelihoods – Walawe Left Bank Irrigation Upgrading and Extension Project, Southern Sri Lanka

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of irrigation development on livelihoods of rural communities based on a study implemented in an irrigation development project in southern Sri Lanka. Though irrigation development is one main strategy for socioeconomic development and poverty eradication in many developing countries in the world, it is perceived to have both positive and negative impacts, especially on natural resources like forest, wetland and other land resources and ecosystems on which the livelihood activities of the rural communities are dependent upon. The rational behind the study is to further examine both negative and positive impacts of irrigation development on livelihoods and propose measures for mitigating the negative ones. In the study areas were selected in different stages of irrigation development such as post-development, during development and pre-development to compare and contrast the impact of irrigation development. It applied multiple methods, both qualitative and quantitative, in data collection. In the analysis of data, sustain able livelihood framework was applied in order to understand how the irrigation development project has contributed to assure sustainable livelihood.

The study substantiates that people have opportunities for more reliable livelihood and income earning opportunities in irrigated areas compared to those during irrigation development and pre-development stages. More people with high education levels, more households with permanent houses, sanitary facilities and better living standard are found in areas in post irrigation development stages indicating the positive impacts on irrigation development on livelihoods. Due to the impacts of irrigation development projects, the people in the areas in post development stages have easy access to facilities such as improved roads, hospitals, schools, post offices etc. The communities in areas during irrigation development have serious problems such as non availability of lands for cultivation and livestock keeping as forest and scrub jungles areas used by them for slash and burn and grazing their animals are developed for irrigation. They also have lost opportu nity to collect Non Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) for consumption and earning a little cash income by marketing them. In the areas under predeveloped stage, small tanks have no adequate water to cultivate two crops a year and the forests used by them for slash and burn too have been disappeared in the recent past due to too much exploitation with the population growth. This has created a chronic poverty situation in the areas in pre-development stage.

Though there are many positive impacts of irrigation development on livelihoods of people as observed in the areas in post development stage, the study highlights some negative impacts too. The recurrent conflicts among the irrigation communities over water, development of salinity in the down stream areas and use of fertilizer and agrochemicals which too have negative impacts on the environment could be observed in the areas in post development stage. In addition, landlessness and poverty among the second and third genera tion members of settler communities in the areas in the post development stage raises the question whether irrigation development alone could lead to sustainable livelihoods.