Irrigators' Association and Farm Productivity: A Comparative Study of Two Philippne Irrigation Systems

Abstract

The effect of irrigators┱ associations on the productivity of rice farming is examined┼ using data obtained from two irrigation systems in the Philippines┼ one with an irriga- tors┱ association and the other without┻ The estimation of the production function confirms that the irrigators┱ association is not effective in reducing inequitable water distribution among the different locations in the system┼ and fails to demonstrate that it provides any significant advantages over the system with no irrigators┱ association in terms of productivity┻ However┼ we found that the mean level of farmers┱ technical efficiency is higher and the variation in farmers┱ technical efficiency is smaller in the system with the irrigators┱ association than in the system without an irrigators┱ associ- ation┼ suggesting that the irrigators┱ association is effective in ensuring the efficient and equitable distribution of water among farmers within each location in the system┻