Widespread male migration from rural areas is one of the most important forces shaping agrarian transformation in Nepal. One particularly important area affected is the governance and management of local public goods, especially irrigation systems. Given the crucial role of irrigation in agricultural productivity and food security, attention to gender in irrigation governance is not only necessary for existing systems, but also opens potential new opportunities for sustainable and inclusive development in rural Nepal.

This webinar will present results of a quantitative and qualitative study to identify the various measures in which irrigation system governance has responded to male migration. This includes (a) results of a phone survey conducted with Water Users Association chairpersons of 336 irrigation systems across all provinces in Nepal, including farmer-managed, agency-managed, and jointly-managed systems; (b) case studies of 10 irrigation systems that FMIST has worked with over the years; and (c) two detailed case studies representing hill and terai systems.