Ali Ghasemi - M.Sc. in Irrigation Structures, and Managing Director of Qazvin Irrigation Management Co. (QIM), & Initiator and Executive of Qazvin Participatory Irrigation Management Project. Address: Shahid Bahonar Bulvd., Qazvin, Iran.

Connoisseurs believe that inefficient management in operation and maintenance of irrigation system is assumed as a key element in weakening irrigation performance. Based on experiences, removal of existing inconsistencies and challenges will not realize without people’s participation. Building capacity for enhancing participation and involving both practitioners and users in water management and in saving of resources and costs, would greatly help settle the bottlenecks. Along this path, developing local mechanism and managerial set-up, shall either pave the way for broader saving of water and optimizing the demands, and/or form the main factor in elimination of local or even international conflictions. The author had the chance, to formulate and implement a strategic plan for establishment and operation of NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) in Qazvin plain mobilized by face to face communication towards further involvement of his staff (Qazvin Irrigation Management, QIM) and target farmers in the process. Later, based on a timing schedule, an action plan became operational to gradually shift exploitation and maintenance of existing irrigation-drainage network to the local community. To this end, various commitments e.g., selling, inspection, registration, distribution and delivering water quotas are to be implemented by corporate Water Users Associations. They are also obligated for maintenance, dredging, and fixing hydro-mechanical segments (Amil) and turn-out structures. The local leaders, apart from foregoing services and continued inspection of structures and operational processes, are responsible for fulfilling the demands, settling the problems on the spot2 and preparing daily reports on possible offending in the network. Implementing IMT (Irrigation Management transfer) initiative in Qazvin, has resulted in numerous cultural, social and economic impacts especially in the area of improvement of irrigation management and has created structural changes towards the great objective i.e. "Equitable distribution of water" in the network. In view to dimensions of the transferred liabilities to local pioneers in Qazvin, and in order to attract supports from national and international Water Users’ Associations (WUAs), rrigation Management Transfer (IMT), Qazvin, Local Irrigation Management (LIM), National Pilot.

Water Users’ Associations (WUAs), Irrigation Management Transfer (IMT), Qazvin, Local Irrigation Management (LIM), National Pilot