Distributing water or rents? Examples from a public irrigation system in Pakistan

During the last decade, a large number of developing countries have engaged into irrigation policy reforms. Such reforms are frequently associated wit h changes in the distribution of irrigation benefits among interest groups. This paper investigates the nature of the existing economic rent in public irrigation systems. It proposes a conceptual framework to analyze its dist ribution between private and public actors involved in irrigation managemen t. A case study is conducted in Pakistan's Indus basin to quantify the over all level of rent granted to the irrigation sector and to show how farmers compete for the appropriation of the greatest possible share of this rent.