Field channels: A key to better Indian irrigation

Two different programs which attempted to improve water use and management were evaluated in eastern India. The improvement was through the installation of field channels in existing flood irrigation projects. The channels gave farmers better control over water on each field. The analysis highlights the importance of technically trained people and low-cost project designs in making projects viable. Annual net returns of 300–350 rupees per acre were obtained in the Sambalpur villages with investment costs of only 34 rupees per acre. The contrasting pilot project in Raipur had a much lower profit potential due to high investment costs. The analysis adds support to the proposition that India should spend more public funds on modest improvements in existing flood irrigation systems and much less on large new irrigation projects.