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Politics, Plurality and Problemsheds: A Strategic Approach for Reform of Agricultural Water Resources Management

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  • Peter P. Mollinga
  • Ruth S. Meinzen-Dick
  • Douglas J. Merrey

Abstract

Starting from the assessment that past efforts at reform in agricultural water management in developing countries have achieved very little, this article argues that a fundamental change is required in the approach to policy and institutional transformation if the present deadlock in the internalisation of ecological sustainability, human development/poverty alleviation and democratic governance into the 'core business' of water bureaucracies is to be overcome. 'Social engineering' approaches need to be replaced by 'strategic action' approaches that acknowledge the inherently political character and the plurality of actors, institutions and objectives of water management - a perspective operationalised here around the notions of 'problemshed' and 'issue network'. Copyright 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter P. Mollinga & Ruth S. Meinzen-Dick & Douglas J. Merrey, 2007. "Politics, Plurality and Problemsheds: A Strategic Approach for Reform of Agricultural Water Resources Management," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 25(6), pages 699-719, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devpol:v:25:y:2007:i:6:p:699-719
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    Cited by:

    1. Leroy, David, 2023. "An empirical assessment of the institutional performance of community-based water management in a large-scale irrigation system in southern Mexico," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).
    2. Carla Roncoli & Brian Dowd‐Uribe & Ben Orlove & Colin Thor West & Moussa Sanon, 2016. "Who counts, what counts: representation and accountability in water governance in the Upper Comoé sub‐basin, Burkina Faso," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 40(1-2), pages 6-20, February.
    3. Woodhouse, P. & Muller, M., 2017. "Water Governance—An Historical Perspective on Current Debates," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 225-241.
    4. Mustafa, Daanish & Altz-Stamm, Amelia & Scott, Laura Mapstone, 2016. "Water User Associations and the Politics of Water in Jordan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 164-176.
    5. Narain, Vishal & Singh, Aditya Kumar, 2019. "Replacement or displacement? Periurbanisation and changing water access in the Kumaon Himalaya, India," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 130-137.
    6. V. S. Saravanan & Geoffrey T. McDonald & Peter P. Mollinga, 2009. "Critical review of Integrated Water Resources Management: Moving beyond polarised discourse," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 33(1), pages 76-86, February.
    7. Senanayake, Nari & Mukherji, Aditi & Giordano, Mark, 2015. "Re-visiting what we know about Irrigation Management Transfer: A review of the evidence," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 175-186.
    8. Thiel, Andreas, 2014. "Developing an analytical framework for reconstructing the scalar reorganization of water governance as institutional change: The case of Southern Spain," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 378-391.
    9. Philip Woodhouse, 2012. "Reforming Land and Water Rights in South Africa," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 43(4), pages 847-868, July.
    10. Aarnoudse, E. & Closas, Alvar & Lefore, Nicole, 2018. "Water user associations: a review of approaches and alternative management options for Sub-Saharan Africa," IWMI Working Papers H048782, International Water Management Institute.
    11. Frija, Aymen & Sghaier, Mariem & Fetoui, Mondher & Dhehibi, Boubaker & Sghaier, Mongi, 2023. "Pathways for improving rangeland governance under constraining land tenure systems: Application of a participatory Bayesian Belief approach," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    12. Theesfeld, Insa, 2011. "Perceived power resources in situations of collective action," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 4(1), pages 86-103.
    13. Seijger, Chris & Hellegers, Petra, 2023. "How do societies reform their agricultural water management towards new priorities for water, agriculture, and the environment?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 277(C).
    14. Ali, Sameen A. Mohsin, 2020. "Driving participatory reforms into the ground: The bureaucratic politics of irrigation management transfer in Pakistan," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    15. Philippus Wester & Jaime Hoogesteger & Linden Vincent, 2009. "Local IWRM organizations for groundwater regulation: The experiences of the Aquifer Management Councils (COTAS) in Guanajuato, Mexico," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 33(1), pages 29-38, February.
    16. Thiel, Andreas, 2012. "The politics of problem solving: A co-evolutionary perspective on the recent scalar reorganisation of water governance in Germany," UFZ Discussion Papers 09/2012, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    17. Luc Descroix, 2012. "Chapitre 3. Le bassin versant, Unité de gestion des eaux idéale pour l’Afrique subsaharienne ?," Post-Print ird-02157726, HAL.

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