Major Findings(1) Impact of the irrigation project

The irrigation project transformed rice farming from traditional style to high input

–high return system, resulting to higher and more stable rice income of irrigated

farmers than their counter factual rainfed farmers.�Yield of irrigated rice farmers is about twice as high as that of rainfed rice farmers

(2.4 t/ha/season vs. 1.2 t/ha/season of dry paddy).

� Irrigated rice farmers use about 1.5 times more chemical fertilizer than rainfed

farmers do and have started using hybrid varieties

� Irrigated rice farmers achieved about 2.4 times higher rice income than that of the

rainfed rice farmers.

�Risk against drought was reduced. Irrigated rice farmers’ income did not go down

in the drought season (2009November - 2010April) as much as rainfed rice

farmers suffered. However, in the project area, irrigated farmers suffered a

negative shock of flood (2010November – 2011April).

� Irrigated rice farmers achieved higher and more stable income (except in the flood

season), which contributed to faster growth of household assets.

�Rainfed rice farmers have non-agricultural sources of income and earn higher

from these sources compared to irrigated rice farmers, which made the income

gap among the two groups smaller.

Impact of Bohol Irrigation

System Project Phase 2

(BIS II) on Rice Farming

Conclusion�The Bohol Irrigation Project (Phase 2) substantially improved the livelihood of the

beneficiary farmers by enabling them to earn higher and more stable income from

rice production than the counterfactual rainfed farmers.

�To achieve equitable outcomes within the system, role of IAs and TSAs for

equitable water rotation are crucially important.

(2) Equitable water access and project outcomes among irrigated farmers

Results from comparison in differences in water access as well as differences in

project outcomes between different groups of farmers are as follows (This attempt

is an examination of ex-post equity which does not necessarily indicate wether changes

are equal between groups):�There is no statistical difference in water access as well as key outcomes (i.e. yield,

income, asset value, etc) along the main canal. The main canal is properly design

and constructed to the extent of irrigating a current service area of about 2,600

hectares and NIA has properly handled maintenance and management of the

facilities.

�We find no strong evidence of differences in water access, and outcomes against

small landholders, asset non-rich farmers, non-owner cultivators, and female-headed

households.

�There are disadvantages in water access and yield in the rice farmers on from the

downstream portion of the lateral (secondary) canals. Stricter water rotation by IA is

crucial.

�Upstream parcels within a TSA achieve higher rice income per hectare by taking

advantage of hydrological privilege, particularly in a drought season. Stricter water

rotation by TSA is crucial.

�There is possible disadvantage against land reform beneficiaries due to their weak

social position relative to their ex-landlords who sometimes try to acquire water as

their vested interest. Further study can be made to investigate this matter.

IntroductionThis project evaluates the impact of Bohol Irrigation Project (Phase 2) and draws

implications for a greater and sustainable impact for the future. The irrigation system is a

gravity irrigation system consisting of a reservoir dam (Bayongan dam), a main canal,

secondary canals or laterals, turnouts, and farm ditches. Different from other ordinary

systems in the country, all canals and laterals are lined, every turnout has a concrete

structure, and most of the turnouts have a steel spindle gate in this system. Similar to the

other systems, farm ditches are earth canals.

Objectives of the study(1) To evaluate the impact of a Bohol irrigated system irrigation development project on rice

farmers and;

(2) To compare differences in water access as well as differences in project outcomes

between different groups of farmers

MethodologyProject data was collected through a series of household-level and TSA-level surveys (the

later collected only in irrigated area) The project covered four periods and one baseline

period for irrigated rice farmers (note: period 2 was drought and period 4 was flood).

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

total_asset_cap

1 2 3 4Period

Irrigated SE

Rainfed Inside FS SE

Total asset per cap

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

hh_income_cap

1 2 3 4Period

Irrigated SE

Rainfed Inside FS SE

Household income per cap

drought fl

ood

Nov2008-

Apr2009

Nov2008-

Apr2009

Nov2008-

Apr2009

May2009-

Octr2010

May2010-

Octr2010

irrigation season

Bayongan dam Spindle gates along main canalsLateral (secondary) canal

typical rainfed rice farm irrigated rice fields

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

yield

0 1 2 3 4Period

Irrigated SE

Rainfed Inside FS SE

yield

30

40

50

60

kgnha

1 2 3 4Period

Irrigated SE

Rainfed Inside FS SE

Kilogram of nitrogen per hectare

IRRI Bohol Project Team: Kei Kajisa, Shigeki Yokoyama,

Pie Moya, Ed Mendez, Lolit Garcia, Shiela Valencia, Vicky

Rodr i g u ez , E lmer S uñaz & Nea l e P agu i r ig an