Rural Development through Farmers' Managed Irrigation System : A Case Study Panchakanya Naharratna Nagar Municipality, Chitwan

Abstract

The Panchakanya Nahar Irrigation Systemof Ratna Nagar Municipality-9 & 10, Chitwanhadbeen innovated by the government in F/Y 2032/33 along with thelocal peoples participation.It was completed in 2054 BS and transferred to the localfarmers. After then, the local levels of farmers have theirselves managed to operate,manage, maintain and utilize it in their own effort.This system has tried to solve theproblems of local people regarding irrigation and made their livelihood easier then itwas before. The main objectiveof this FMIS (Farmer managed Irrigation System) is toanalyses the living standard of people of the Ratna Nagar Municipality 9 & 10,Chitwanand analyze the interrelation between different institution in that field. Interview, questionnaire and observation methods were applied to take out theresult of FMIS inthe respective field. The research has carried out the fact that peopleare getting the facility of irrigation in equal ratio. The living standard as well asagricultural products has increased and people are feeling good about FMIS. The FMIS has fully helped to grow both theseasonal and non-seasonal crops,vegitables, fruits. Not only that this has indirectly helped to conduct other agro-basedactivities such as poultry farming, cow farming, buffallo farming, fishery etc. It hasincreased productivity and production of the crops. On the other hand it has increasedthe sense of co-operation, and gaining the collective goal collectively. After theimplementation of FMIS, farmer begun to grow the inter-crop farming. Similarly, ithas increased the self participation and decisionmaking capability of the local level ofpeople. The system is originally user designed, constructed and maintained by thepeople so that the government load has found to be less regarding to that specificlocation.Local level of unskilled and simi-skilled males and female people are foundto be engaged in agricultural activities through the FMIS. In a nutshell, it can be said that this FMIS has brought a drastic change in thelivelihood of the inhabitants ofRatna Nagar, Chitwanand expected thatit maysurelyfill the vacuum of unemployment which is prevalent in rural area, especially inRatnaNagar Municipality, Chitwan.