WATER EFFICIENCY INDICATORS FOR EVALUATION OF INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT

The modern problems of irrigation sector and need of its reforms are presented as well as the importance of evaluation of reforms results via system of indicators that characterized efficiency of water use and effectiveness of water management. For this purpose, the methods of system analysis are used and the main economic and ecological factors influencing the efficiency of water use are determined. Based on the results of the system analysis an indicative assessment proposed for the following three spatial levels: for assessment of the efficiency of the irrigation sector at the national level; evaluation of water management efficiency at the level of main infrastructure and; at the level of non-state irrigation network. The efficiency of water use in irrigated agriculture at the national level is calculated as the added value in agriculture sector related to the amount of water taken for agricultural purpose. This indicator shows general productivity of water use in irrigated agriculture. Groups of ecological and economic indicators that proposed for assessing the efficiency of water use on the level of the main irrigation infrastructure allow to assess the quality of irrigation service under existing management model. For evaluation of efficiency of water use and management at the level of water users’ organizations and individual farms the following economic indicators are selected: land productivity; water productivity; irrigation area; volume of water used for irrigation; costs of irrigation and amount of production. The soil fertility and ecological state of the irrigated lands proposed as a main ecological indicator. In addition to the economic and ecological indicators the number of organizational and technological factors that provides reliability of water supply to the fields and show a effectiveness of water management should be evaluated also. The proposed integrated system of indicators can be used to evaluate the state of water use and water management in irrigated agriculture, as well as to assess the results of institutional reforms of the sector that approved by the state strategic documents.