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Assessing the performance of water user associations in the Gash Irrigation Project, Sudan

In many countries, water user associations (WUAs) have assumed responsibility for managing irrigation systems, but their performance is known to vary markedly. This study assessed WUAs in the Gash spate irrigation project in Sudan, a decade after their initiation. Fieldwork involved a farmer survey, focus group discussions, benchmarking, and interviews with key informants. Overall, performance was found to be average, but with wide variation between individual WUAs. Performance indicators relating to jurisdiction over hydraulic boundaries and water delivery were poor. A lack of institutional arrangements and land ownership issues also strongly influenced performance. The management system for coordinating WUAs was found to be unnecessarily complex.