The Role of Irrigation Water Users Associations in Improving Irrigation Water Management in Syria

Abstract

In light of the irrigation water management systems used in Syria, government agencies bear all technical, administrative and financial responsibilities, and it appears in light of that the humble role that farmers themselves play towards the available water resources, And based on the need to raise the efficiency of using these resources for irrigation purposes, in order to rationalize them, expand the area of irrigated lands, and raise the economic return from the unit volume of water, The role of irrigation water user associations has emerged in improving the conditions for applying the principles of integrated water resources management in Syria. In this research, the irrigation water user associations were introduced, their importance and features and talking about its inception in the Syrian Arab Republic and previous successful projects for collective irrigation, then studying its status, internal system and structure from the date of water legislation in 2005. Up to the present time, the conclusion of the problems and obstacles that obstructed the activation of the role of associations while proposing solutions to overcome these problems Clarify the requirements for strengthening farmers' participation in irrigation water user associations to benefit from these associations in the rationalization and management of available water resources in Syria.