IRRIGATION WATER PRICES FOR FARMER-MANAGED IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN TANZANIA - A CASE-STUDY OF LOWER MOSHI IRRIGATION SCHEME

A computer program model for pricing irrigation water among beneficiar ies was developed and tested. The data used for the purpose was collec ted from Lower Moshi farmer-managed irrigation scheme (FMIS) in northe rn part of Tanzania as a case study. The scheme has two intakes; namel y Rau and Mabogini irrigation systems. Allam's mathematical model for allocating irrigation water price which was developed in Egypt (Allam, 1987) was adopted and adapted for the purpose. The results indicate t hat the irrigation water price depends on a number of structures servi ng the area, their installation costs, amount of water received by eac h tertiary block and water rights. The prices differ between different tertiary blocks within the same system and also between two systems t hat exist in Lower Moshi Irrigation Scheme (LMIS). This indicates that the model can be used as a tool by designers and planners for selecti ng the best designed irrigation system that farmers can afford to pay for its operation, maintenance and management. The mean irrigation wat er price value for Mabogini is Tshs. 12151/-(1) while that of the Rau system is 10414/-. To maintain uniformity of irrigation water price in the scheme, it is recommended that a mean value of Tshs. 11 283/- is used. Generally, farmers in Tanzania are used to contribute one bag of paddy which costs about Tshs. 10 000/- for maintenance works. Therefo re, the irrigation water price derived from the model is reasonable an d one the farmers can afford. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.