Community-level institutional mechanisms for inclusive and participatory water governance

Organisers: Department of Energy, Royal Government of Bhutan; ICIMOD; Bhutan Ecological Society; International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada

About the event

This consultation event, organised by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in collaboration with the Department of Energy (DoE), will bring together farmers and community members of solar-powered lift irrigation systems in Padhuna and Jorona to orient them on the community-level institutional mechanisms for inclusive and participatory water governance.

Objectives

• To orient the community on the Water Users Association (WUA) formation process.
  To orient the community on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) responsive bylaws for WUA.

Expected outcomes

This consultation is expected to deliver:

• Preliminary information on the gender dynamics of Padhuna and Jorona
• Interim executive committee to take forward the WUA registration process
• Agreed provisions are to be included in bylaws

Background

Agriculture is the backbone of Bhutan’s economy, providing employment to about 40% of the population, with women making up more than half of the agricultural workforce. However, its contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) has been declining due to climatic, environmental, and socio-economic challenges that threaten national food security.

Currently, only 20% of Bhutan’s cultivable land is irrigated. Most traditional irrigation systems are gravity-fed open channels that operate seasonally and are particularly vulnerable to climate change. The country’s mountainous terrain often requires lifting water from lower elevations, creating logistical challenges while also opening opportunities for innovation. Bhutan’s abundant rivers offer significant potential for renewable energy-powered irrigation solutions, particularly decentralised solar-powered lift irrigation systems.

However, the adoption of these modern systems has been limited by a lack of skilled personnel, and women in particular, who remain under-represented in technical positions. The gender gap limits efficiency, sustainability and equitable participation in the irrigation sector.

To address these challenges, ICIMOD, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, is implementing the Women’s Empowerment through Renewable Energy-Powered Lift Irrigation Systems in Bhutan (WERELIS – Bhutan) project. This project is funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, while the Bhutan Ecological Society (BES) serves as the field implementing partner. The WERELIS project provides decision-makers with tools to deploy these systems at scale, build technical capacity to integrate gender considerations into the approach, and develop a potential business model for broader adoption of the technology.

One of the key priorities of the Royal Government of Bhutan is to promote gender responsive clean energy solutions in the agriculture sector. Adopting the learnings from the WERELIS project, DoE is implementing gender responsive solar-powered lift irrigation systems in Padhuna and Jorona. In this regard, ICIMOD, in collaboration with DoE, is organising a consultation with the community members of Padhuna and Jorona solar-powered lift irrigation systems on community-level institutional mechanisms for inclusive and participatory water governance.

Agenda