Local responses to too much and too little water in the greater Himalayan region
Mulkhow – adaptations to persistent drought a water distribution schedule for the member households
according to their water rights. There are no written
The communities of Mulkhow have ancient systems
rules or bylaws; the system is based on a social code
to deal with the historical shortage of water. Their
of conduct that each beneficiary household has been
traditional local institutions contribute to the fair
following for generations.
distribution of irrigation water, the collective management
of irrigation infrastructure, and the collective harvesting
Collective management of irrigation infrastructure
and storage of water. Individual farmers might also
– Improving the efficiency of the limited irrigation
pool, borrow, swap, or purchase water for kind or
infrastructure is another strategy adopted by the
services. As water shortages are intensifying, farmers
inhabitants throughout Mulkhow region. Maintenance
are modifying their cropping systems to produce more
and repair of irrigation networks to avoid water losses is
drought tolerant crops.
undertaken under the system of ‘mirzhoi’ under which the
community hires one or more persons (paid in cash or
Local systems for water distribution – Under the
grain) for maintenance of water channels.
traditional distribution system, water is allotted according
to the size of land of different groups – a person having
The system ensures regular maintenance and repair of
more land has access to more water and vice versa.
irrigation infrastructure and creates employment. Larger
Similarly use of water between villages is also defined,
repairs such as re-excavation are carried out under a
i.e., some villages use water in the daytime, while some
collective system called ‘mone’ (service by turn) where
use it at night depending on the geographical location
each beneficiary household contributes its share of
and potential evaporation losses.
labour material or cash depending on the resources
available to them. Similar kinds of arrangements have
The distribution of water is managed by a water
also been made among villages when the scale of
distribution committee comprised of elders who develop
Traditional water distribution and control structure (nirwalu) in Mulkhow for dividing water in equal portions for two downstream users
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