Impacts of Institutional Reforms on Irrigated Agriculture in Pakistan

Poor functioning of theirrigation system in Pakistan has been asource of concern for the last few decades,during which time it has been the subject ofconsiderable external assistance andinternal policy reforms. Consequently, thegovernment of Pakistan introducedinstitutional restructuring in irrigationand drainage subsectors to impartnecessary improvements. Under thesereforms, management at secondary canallevel has recently been handed over to theFarmers Organizations (FOs) of selecteddistributaries in pilot areas. This studywas designed to evaluate a farmer-manageddistributary in southern Punjab. Fieldmeasurements revealed that hydraulicaspects of the irrigation service deliveredby the FO management has been significantlyimproved and as a result highlyproportionate and equitable waterdistribution was observed, particularly atthe tail reaches of the distributary. Dueto effective FO management farmers'interventions to increase the outletdischarge by illegal means has been almosteradicated. As a result of theseimprovements imparted by the FO in systemmanagement, the extent of irrigated area hasincreased on average by 6 to 7%, evenunder severe drought-like conditionsprevailing in the country during recentyears. Further cost recoveries haveincreased by an amount of 14% for summerand 23% for winter growing seasons,respectively, from the irrigated area of thedistributary. Thus experience from Hakra4-R distributary has shown that even underundesirable natural circumstancesIrrigation Management Transfer (IMT) wasquite effective in achieving the keytargets of the institutional reformslaunched at pilot scale in the country.     

Introduction of Irrigation Service Fee (ISF) in Indonesia: Institutional development in action for resources management

The inability to properly maintain irrigation systems over time forced the Government of Indonesia (GOI) to seek cost recovery from water users through introduction of an irrigation service fee. The plan is to introduce this fee in all of the technical irrigation systems of Indonesia, covering about 4 million hectares, over a 12 year period. Design and Introduction of this service fee in 4 pilot areas of the 4 major rice producing provinces (West, Central and East Java, and South Sulawesi) during 1989–1991 has shown that users are willing to pay. Results of first ISF collection from over 11,000 farmers in Central and East Java in pilot systems was an encouraging 95%. However that acceptance to pay by users depends on their structured and systematic involvement in defining systems needs. They need to understand a differentiation in payment if service levels are different. They appreciate use of collected funds in the system where collected. They understand the organization of water users associations but this requires their active role in fee determination and collection. They understand the establishment of federations of these associations. ISF requires also active involvement of Local Government officials as facilitators and intermediaries between service receivers (the water users) and service providers (personnel of the Public Works irrigation department) in the introduction period. This article describes the experience of the first 21 months of the ISF project, the concept developed, the principles used as basis for ISF, the introduction at the field level, issues related to acceptance by users and by the institutions involved, and the first results.Abbreviations/Acronyms DGWRD Directorate General of Water Resources Development (Ministry of Public Works) - EOM Efficient Operation and Maintenance - Gabungan group of WUAs - IPAIR Indonesian abbreviation for ISF - ISF Irrigation Service Fee - Juru gate keeper - PBB land tax on irrigated lands - PPL agricultural field extension agent - P3A Indonesian abbreviation for Water Users Associations - PU Indonesian abbreviation for Public Works - SM Special Maintenance - WUA Water Users Associations     

西北地区水资源状况与合理配置问题的研究

水资源的高效开发利用与合理配置能够快速有效地促进经济社会多方面的发展,面对西北地区水资源配置的现状,急需加强多方面的保障措施建设.为此,针对西北地区水资源配置中存在的主要问题和突出矛盾,以发展的眼光来衡量区域水资源与人类社会的可持续发展,提出了相关的应对措施及其若干解决方法.     

深圳市河道水环境综合治理的典型

通过对深圳市新洲河生态景观改造工程设计，摸索出一条融合现代水利工程、城市规划、风景园林、生态、水污染治理等多学科多专业进行城市河道综合治理工程设计方法，为探索深圳市河道生态改造打开思路。通过对深圳市新洲河两岸景观改造，将新洲河融入城市公共空间，使其成为居民的滨水休闲廊道；在截污的基础上，通过补水、水质净化等一系列措施，使河道水质变清，达到规定的地表水Ⅴ类标准；通过对河道的生态改造，恢复河道生态功能，提高水体自净能力，成为深圳市的生态景观廊道，达到人与自然的和谐相处。     

岩溶地区生态环境可持续发展的生态足迹分析

本文以西南岩溶地区清镇市为例,采用生态足迹的理论和模型对2005年清镇市区域生态足迹状况进行了测算和分析,并与不同区域进行比较。结果表明:①清镇市2005年的人均生态足迹为2.5440hm2,超过了它的人均生态承载力;②清镇市2005年人均生态赤字为2.1240hm2,表明清镇市处于一种不可持续的发展状态;③清镇市2005年万元GDP生态足迹为2.8139hm2,高于中国西部的平均水平,资源利用为粗放消耗型。针对清镇市生态赤字的状况,提出了缓解该市生态压力、提高生态承载力的建议。     

内陆河水资源合理利用的优化分配方法

依据内陆河流域不同区域在水资源条件、气候条件、经济发展水平及水资源利用途径等方面的差异性，以及时序上水资源的利用规律，提出了旨在合理利用水资源，改善生态环境的水资源优化分配方法。通过在黑河流域的实例应用，论证了该方法的有效性。     

我国农业可持续发展面临的生态环境问题及对策

对我国农业可持续发展中所面临的水土流失、荒漠化、水资源短缺、自然灾害频繁发生等生态问题,化肥污染、农药污染、畜禽养殖污染、农膜污染等面源污染问题以及乡镇工业污染和农村生活污染等问题进行了简要论述;并针对存在的问题,提出了发展绿色农业产业、加强农村环境立法、加强脆弱生态系统的保护管理等几点对策和建议。     

陇东旱塬农作物生态潜力研究

在分析了陇东旱塬什字塬区农业资源的基础上,运用“农业生态区域法”(AEZ)估算了该区主要农作物的资源生产潜力,分析了限制农田生产力的主要因素,提出了进一步挖掘潜力的战略途径.     

束丝藻的竞争优势及其驱动机制的研究进展

束丝藻（Aphanizomenon）是一种丝状固氮蓝藻,具有入侵性且易暴发有害水华。近年来,在全球气候变化推动下束丝藻的扩张已然成为一种世界范围的现象,其广泛分布在温带、热带水体中,因其能合成藻毒素和异味物质而严重影响水生态系统功能,威胁饮用水安全和人类健康。束丝藻耐低温、喜低光,在偏碱性、低氮高磷水体中增殖较快,并凭其固氮、储磷以及释放藻毒素、形成群体胶鞘等独特生态策略使其在种间竞争以及群落结构演替中获得较大竞争优势,成为优势种群。鉴于束丝藻的危害性和扩张性,本文从束丝藻的生理生态特性、分布特征、竞争优势及其关键驱动因子等研究前沿进行了综述,并对相关研究领域进行展望,为进一步研究束丝藻种群竞争优势形成机制,有效防控束丝藻水华提供科学依据。     

印榕仙人掌的资源价值及开发利用

概述了印榕仙人掌的食用与药用价值,并对印榕仙人掌植被恢复功能和饲料用途进行了介绍。针对我国仙人掌发展的现状,重点论述了印榕仙人掌在胭脂虫培育利用方面的重要性。并从印榕仙人掌的保健功能、胭脂虫培育以及植被恢复重建开发利用等方面提出建议。