Irrigation in the Pak Mun AreaAlice Chen, Danielle Corona, Sara Diaz, Alexandra Quintano

Irrigation in the Pak Mun AreaINTRODUCTION This report aims to describe the state of irrigation in the Pak Mun area and create common understanding among all parties by providing their perspectives. To do so, our team interviewed three local governments, known as Tambon Administrative Organizations (TAOs): Sai Mun, Kham Khuan Kaew, and Nong Sang Yai. We also surveyed members of four villages: Nam Sang, Wang Mai, Khan Puai, and Suwanwaree. From these surveys, we collected quantitative information about farmers’ crops and irrigation usage. Additionally, we interviewed two cooperative leaders of village irrigation, and recorded problems villagers have encountered with the irrigation system. Our surveys and interviews investigated the use of four irrigation pumps in the Pak Mun Area: Wang Sabaeng Tai Station, Nam Sang Station, Khan Puai Station, and Suwanwaree Station. Two of these, Nam Sang Station and Khan Puai Station, are known as “floating” stations. This type of station was used before the Pak Mun Dam was built and adjusts to the level of the river water to provide irrigation year round.

The other two stations, Suwanwaree Station and Wang Sabaeng Tai Station, are two of the 61 stationary pumps built by the Royal Irrigation Department (RID). Unlike the floating-water stations, these stationary pumps require a certain water level to function, especially during the dry season. The Pak Mun Dam gates must be closed throughout the year to ensure that the water level is sufficient.

HISTORY In 1994, the Pak Mun Dam was built by the Electrical Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) to generate hydropower. The dam’s construction, as well as later flooding, resulted in the displacement of 3,000 families. The dam blocks many of the fish species of the Mun River from swimming upstream to spawn, cutting off the livelihood of many local villagers, who have historically been fishermen. Since Pak Mun Dam has not come close to generating its expected electricity output, missing it on average by 116 megawatts, its purpose has been altered. In 2004, EGAT transitioned the Pak Mun Dam into a primary source of water storage once the RID installed 61 irrigation pumps along the 80 kilometers between the dam and Ubon city.

Management of the irrigation stations was first performed by the RID. Across time, however, the RID passed on management responsibilities to subdistrict governments (TAOs). The RID also created village irrigation

Fig 1.1.

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun Areacooperatives to work in conjunction with the TAOs. In the future, many TAOs hope to give full management responsibility to these irrigation cooperatives.

METHODS

To gain an understanding of the TAO perspective, we interviewed TAO staff members in charge of irrigation administration in their respective TAO sub-district for two hours. Each TAO provided us with printed summaries of their irrigation usage data, upon our request.

We gathered information from villages by conducting a 21-question survey. In two of the four villages we surveyed, Naam Sang and Suwanwaree, farmers of all ages were gathered at the village’s community center and were given the survey form. Each farmer was responsible for filling out his or her own form, while our survey team read aloud the questions in Thai. For farmers who could not either read or write, a survey team member recorded their oral responses. For the other two villages, Wang Mai and Khan Puai, our survey team went door to door and interviewed farmers individually using the same 21-question survey, recording their oral responses ourselves. When conducting the surveys, we used both Thai and English survey versions accordingly. After conducting surveys in all four villages, we collected a total of 42 surveys. 45 percent of survey participants were male, and 55 percent were female. In Naam Sang, 16 farmers were surveyed; in Suwanwaree, 14 farmers; in Khan Puai, six farmers; and in Wang Mai, six farmers. During the time of surveying, we interviewed six individuals post-survey to collect qualitative data about their perspective on the irrigation system. CURRENT STATE OF AGRICULTURE & IRRIGATION Our interviews with TAOs and surveying of villagers provided information on the current use and cost of irrigation in the Pak Mun Area. There was variation in the types of irrigation pumps used, the amount of land irrigated, and the investment of farmers in irrigation during the dry season. TAO: KHAM KHUAN KAEW The Kham Khuan Kaew TAO manages four irrigation pumps for 16 villages, two of which are Khan Puai and Suwanwaree. Its officials collect data on the total number of hours the irrigation stations release water, the number of farms they service, and the total area of farmland they are responsible for. However, they do not record the volume of water pumped by stations per hour. Suwanwaree Village

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun AreaThe village of Suwanwaree uses a stationary pump named Suwanwaree Station, which cost 31 million THB to construct. According to TAO Kham Khuan Kaew, this station supplies 1000 rai of land for 34% of the households in Suwanwaree. The pumping station in Suwanwaree has been broken since January of 2014. The TAO provided data for the time period in which the pump was operational in January. In these weeks, the station pumped water for a total of 38 hours. At 70 THB per hour, from TAO data this collectively cost villagers 2,660 THB. From data collected from the 14 farmers surveyed in Suwanwaree village, on average a family uses 21.5 rai of land for agriculture. 71 percent of farmers surveyed plant crops during the dry season. Since the pump has not been functioning for the majority of this year’s dry season, data collected from these farmers pertains to 2013. The average farmer in this village invests 15,444 THB to plant crops each dry season, and irrigation accounts for 11 percent of these costs. On average, farmers are able to make 34,730 THB from selling their crops each dry season, leaving them with a net income from agriculture of about 19,286 THB for the months of January through April. Khan Puai Village The irrigation pump that services Khan Puai is a floating station. The construction of this pump cost 4 million THB. Data collected from the TAO provided information from the dry season of 2013 (January – April), as well as January of 2014. The pump broke in January and has been out of commission since. The pump is intended to supply 1525 rai of land and 17% of the households in Khan Puai. The number of hours Khan Puai farmers pump irrigation water varies across the dry season. During 2013, the pump released water for 51-65 hours per month, with the most water pumped in January and the least pumped in March. At 70 THB/hour, this collectively cost villagers between 3,570 – 4,550 THB/month. In April of that year, the pump only released water for a total of two hours, costing villagers a collective 140 THB. In total, water was pumped for 176 hours during the 2013 dry season and villagers paid a sum total of 12,320 THB for irrigated water. In January of 2014, the pump released water for 60 hours, collectively costing villagers 4,200 THB. Surveys were administered to six farming families in Khan Puai village. On average, these families use about 14 rai of land for agriculture, and five out of the six families surveyed grow crops during the dry season. Despite growing on about seven less rai than families in Suwanwaree, Khan Puai farmers invest almost 5,000 THB more than their Suwanwaree neighbors per dry season. Of the 20,000 THB that the average Khan Puai farmer invests in agriculture during the dry season, 5% goes towards irrigation—around 6% less than in Suwanwaree. The crops villagers choose to grow can explain these differences. While 64% of farmers surveyed in Suwanwaree depended on rice as their main crop, all farmers surveyed in Khan Puai grew cassava. Since

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun Areacassava can grow well without heavy watering, it requires less irrigation investment and higher chances of a sufficient yield. This also explains the differing incomes between the two villages. On average, Khan Puai farmers make 67,400 THB selling their dry season crops. This leaves them with an average net profit of 47,400 THB per farmer per dry season, 41% higher than the average net profit of Suwanwaree farmers.

TAO: SAI MUN The TAO Sai Mun oversees Nam Sang Station, a floating station that supplies 227 families in five villages and has a pumping rate of 238 liters of water per hour. The annual cost for station maintenance runs between 400,000-500,000 THB because pumps often break. Sai Mun provided data from December of 2012 through July of 2013. Nam Sang VillageDuring the dry season of 2013, TAO Sai Mun reported that Nam Sang farmers collectively spent 51,960 THB to irrigate across 1,130 rai of land. Of the 16

farmers surveyed in Nam Sang, only 19 percent grow cassava in the dry season. Nam Sang farms pumped an average of 2.7 hours per week. The average family uses 19 rai of land for agriculture, only irrigates 15 rai, and invests 30,000 THB. On average, 12% of their investment spending goes toward irrigation, a higher percentage than seen in both Khan Puai and Suwanwaree. However, average profit among farmers surveyed in Nam Sang was 76,800 THB, much higher than for Khan Puai and Suwanwaree farmers. TAO: NONG SANG YAI TAO Nong Sang Yai oversees Wang Sabaeng Tai Station, which provides irrigation for 200 families in the villages of South Wang Sabaeng, North Wang Sabaeng, Wang Mai. According to its data from January-June of 2013, TAO Nong Sang Yai paid 160,036 THB in electricity expenses for irrigation in all three villages during the dry season of 2013. Wang Mai Village Wang Mai, is the largest of the three villages receiving irrigation from Wang Sabaeng Tai Station. Villagers in Wang Mai pay 80 THB per hour. 83 percent of those surveyed grow during the dry season, and on average use

Fig. 1.1 From the limited data collected, this chart shows the average investment, average irrigation cost, and average profit in each village. Suwanwaree, Nam Sang, and Wang Mai mainly grow rice during the dry season. Kuan Puai mainly plants cassava.

Wang Mai

Nam Sang

Kuan Puai

Suwanwaree

48601

76800

47400

19286

1725

3600

1000

1698

18540

30000

20000

15444

Farmer reported expenses and profit during dry season

Average Investment Average Irrigation Cost Average Profit

Fig. 1.1. From the limited data collected, this chart shows the average investment, average irrigation cost, and average profit in each village. Suwanwaree, Nam Sang, and Wang Mai mainly grow rice during the dry season. Kuan Puai mainly plants cassava.

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun Area29 rai of land for agriculture. Those in Wang Mai pump irrigation water an average of 3.6 hours a week, and pay an average of 1,725 THB for irrigation in dry season. This cost is 9% of farmers’ average investment of 18540 THB to grow in the dry months. Revenue for farmers in this village varies greatly, with a minimum of 1500 THB and maximum of 297685 THB. MANAGEMENT: SYSTEM AND PAYMENT From our exchanges, we have pieced together a picture of the relationship between the TAO, the cooperatives, and the villagers. Cooperatives were first established by the RID as a way for the villagers to communicate to the TAO. We found that the TAO largely functions as a “middle-man.” The villagers are divided into “zones” and each day the pump will serve a different “zone”. There is one cooperative per zone and each cooperative has a leader or representative that was chosen by the RID and the villagers. Leaders collect money for pump maintenance and membership, and act as coordinator with the TAO staff and the pump controller. In an interview in Khan Puai, a villager explained that the cooperative is responsible for communicating issues to the TAO, collecting money at the end of each month, and developing an irrigation water management system between the villagers. The cooperative has a pool of money that is used for pump maintenance. Members must also pay a yearly membership fee. Non-members who want to use the pump have to pay 100 THB per hour, which is higher than the 70-90 THB per hour that members pay. According to TAO Nong Sang Yai, each zone pays for irrigation as a group once a month. The price per hour of irrigation use was established when the pump was first built, at the original meeting with representatives from all zones and the RID. We found that on average, villagers pay 80 THB per hour to the TAO. Of that 80 THB, 40% goes directly toward the electricity costs for the pump; the other 60% goes toward the TAO for maintenance of pumping station. The TAO pays with its overall income for the remaining 60% of the pump’s electricity cost, with supplementary funding from the RID and EGAT. The cooperative leaders mainly interact directly with the pump controller in their zone. A farmer calculates his or her own use, but the pump controller (hired by the RID) fills out the payment report monthly. The cooperative leader also reports issues and concerns to the pump controller. The TAO then meets with pump controller monthly to discuss payment and any issues that may have arisen. DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON IRRIGATION ISSUES After talking with the TAO and the villagers, we found various gaps in understanding the irrigation system. This section compiles and presents information we received from both parties.

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun AreaTAO PERCEPTION From our meetings with three TAOs, Nong Sang Yai, Sai Mun, and Kham Kuan Kaew, we have pieced together a narrative of the issues the TAOs face, how they respond, and their perception of irrigation in the villages. One of the largest issues the TAOs face is funding. In Sai Mun, the pumps each cost 23 million THB to construct and require 400,000-500,000 THB per year from the RID to maintain the stations because they often break. While they agreed that it was a strain on their budget, they did not seem at all concerned. However, according to TAO Kham Khuan Kaew, “[The TAO] only has 200,000 THB for pump maintenance but each time a pump needs to be fixed it costs 100,000 THB. If the irrigation budget runs out and a pump has to be fixed, the money has to come from the TAO’s overall budget.” As a result, managing irrigation has put more stress on their already limited budget. Because of the lack of funding, Kham Khuan Kaew also finds it difficult to respond to the needs of the villagers who would like to expand irrigation. “We are not sure if we will have the money to expand or even continue irrigation.” Another pressing issue TAOs face is broken pumps. Both the villagers and the TAO agree this is a common occurrence and that it negatively impacts the villager’s ability to farm during the dry season. However, two of the TAOs we visited had different responses on fixing the pumps. TAO Sai Mun stated that broken pumps are fixed within seven days, since “the crops will die if it is broken for longer.” TAO, Kham Khuan Kaew, said that the pumps are broken for a maximum of three to four months at a time. As the officials described the process, “When a pump is broken we tell the RID and they help take care of it. It takes a long time because we have to order the parts and then we have to find a maintenance worker.” The fastest a broken pump has been fixed is one month. A third concern the TAOs pertains to infrastructure and pipe placement issues. In the beginning stages of the irrigation project, the RID was in charge of mapping out the irrigation stations, pumps, and pipes. Villagers who were forward about wanting pipes for agriculture were more likely to have access to them. Landscaping issues also impact pipe placement. For example, TAO Nong Sang Yai explained how people living on top of a hill would not be able to access irrigation because of the lack of pipes and the high cost of electricity for pumping. “This is a problem irrigation cannot solve.” As a result, some farmers cannot receive irrigation and farm year round. In addition, with limited funding, the TAOs are not sure they will be able to afford expanding the pipe system. While many of these concerns and complaints have become a burden for the TAO, the representatives for the three TAOs spoken to all agreed that irrigation is needed in the area and that it is very beneficial for farming. Even with issues such as maintenance, limited budget, and villager complaints, the TAO maintains that the benefits outweigh the negatives. In its eyes, villagers now have the ability to grow year around, the crops will not die during the dry season, and more income can be made. “Most farmers can plant twice in a year now, instead of one. This is better for everyone.”

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun Area

VILLAGER PERSPECTIVETo present the reality of what many farmers face, four villagers gave their unique experiences with irrigation. The profiles were selected based on their ability to represent the issues villagers have as a whole, including those who dislike irrigation, support irrigation, or find it to not be necessary. Note: Some villagers wished to remain anonymous. Villager #1 – Disliking Irrigation “I don’t really like the current irrigation system. It is always broken, sometimes for as long as 2 months.” Toei Phun Chai, 54, has lived in Khan Puai for over 30 years. On her 18 rai of land, she grows cassava during the dry season and rice during the wet season. “I used to grow rice all year around, but irrigation no longer works.” She cannot recall how long ago she stopped, but she remembers the difficulties she experienced while trying to grow rice during the dry season. “The soil can’t absorb the water as well, it is too dry. I will need to use a lot of irrigation, but that is too much money.” The soil during the dry season is a major challenge for agriculture in Isaan, and as a result, the government has pushed irrigation as a way to mitigate these effects. Ideally, farmers should be able to plant during both the dry and wet seasons. However, Ms. Phun Chai only plants during the wet season and does not envision herself planting during the dry season. Echoing the frustration of many farmers, “I do not like irrigation and I do not plan on using it. Plus the pump was broken this dry season anyway.” Villager #2 – Supporting Irrigation

One woman, 73, has been a farmer for her whole life. “My land has been passed down from generation to generation.” Her 28 rai now grow cassava, rice, and peanuts during both the dry and wet seasons. During the wet season, she grows rice on all 28 rai of land. Compare that to the dry season, when she only grown rice on three rai or four to five rai if the irrigation is working properly. In the dry season, she must grow her rice near the irrigation pump because it does not reach the higher part of her land. This past year, she did not grow any rice because the irrigation pump was broken. In addition, she had to

plant her rice two weeks later than usual in the wet season because the pump was still not working and there was not enough rain. Even with all these faults, she says she likes irrigation but it wishes it would be fixed more efficiently. “I need irrigation to grow my rice. If I can’t farm, I have no rice to eat.” Villager #3 –Irrigation Does Not Solve the Problem

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Irrigation in the Pak Mun AreaWhile irrigation can be beneficial, some farmers find that it will not solve their farming issues. A 67-year-old male explains his experiment in planting rice on his two rai of land two years ago during the dry season. “I invested in planting rice and even irrigation, but the birds ate all of my rice paddies.” He says birds eating the rice plants are a common problem, but because he grew it on only two rai of land, there were too many birds and not enough plants to go around. Because of this, he no longer plans on planting any crops during the dry season. His case is an example of when irrigation is not enough to ensure yields during the dry season. Villager #4 – Frustration A 68-year-old man from Suwanwaree explains his experience with irrigation with great dissatisfaction. He usually uses his seven rai of land to grow rice during the dry season. However, this year his farming efforts returned zero profit. “I planted this dry season, but then the pump broke. All of my plants died. I invested so much money and I lost of all it.” In summary, the major complaint we found from our surveys was the prevalence of broken pumps. In fact, this often prevents villagers from planting during the dry season or hurts their profits. For others, pumps do not reach their land. As a result, they can only plant during the wet season and must find work elsewhere in the dry season. It is also important to note that irrigation cannot solve all issues farmers face during the dry season. People living on hills or experiencing other dilemmas, such as in villager #3’s case, are instances when farming conditions are out of the TAO and RID’s control. FUTURE OF IRRIGATION

According to the TAOs and villagers spoken to, most people would like to expand irrigation in the Pak Mun area as many farmers have become reliant on irrigation to grow their crops. However, the irrigation system is not necessarily a solution to all agricultural problems and has its faults. Major issues include access, quality, and cost. The pipes do not reach all farmers who request irrigation and sometimes irrigation may not be useful. For example, our survey data shows that farmers who grow cassava, a crop requiring little irrigation, during the dry season make more money on average than those who grow rice. Efficient pump maintenance also seems to be an issue as many villagers complain about the engines and pumps being broken for long periods of time. Another issue plaguing irrigation is the TAO’s limited budget. While, the TAO would like to see irrigation expand it may not be able to produce the funds necessary. When considering all of this, communities and TAOs should be hesitant in expanding irrigation without addressing these issues. Continued growth may not be sustainable, as more stress will be put on the local government and farmers. Before more steps are taken, the major challenges in the irrigation system need to be addressed. These would include but are not limited to more efficient pump maintenance, strategic and fair pipe placement, and better information on irrigation practices. In order for these improvements to happen, all stakeholders must work together to understand the current situation of irrigation and plan for the future.

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