3. Project Phases
The translation of a communal irrigation scheme from a good idea that is thought up by an individual into the commissioning of the delivery of water to the farm gate has four distinct phases. These are depicted in Diagram 1.
Diagram 1: Project Phases
- Conceptual Phase . In this phase, an individual or group of people will have identified an opportunity to either take or store water from an existing source and redistribute it to farmers for irrigation. Generally, the idea is a concept that seems feasible and at this stage, the individuals need to identify the potential beneficiaries and stakeholders in the use of that water resource and attract investment from them to take the concept through to the next stage.
- Pre-feasibility Stage . The purpose of this phase is to establish whether a project looks likely to happen and calculate the potential cost of carrying out the full feasibility study. It can also serve the purpose of initiating wider public interest.
The degree of detail carried out in the pre-feasibility study will be very dependent on the nature and type of the scheme. However, as shown in Diagram 1, it must contain the essential elements of supply and demand calculations with resultant economic analysis and have the important elements of information flow to potential beneficiaries and public involvement throughout the process.
At the end of the pre-feasibility stage, the promoting organisation will be forced to make a decision on whether to proceed to the full feasibility study phase and will have the job of raising investment to carry this out.
- Feasibility Study . The purpose of the feasibility study is to explore the project in enough detail for the interested parties and stakeholders to make a commitment to proceed with the development of the project.
As shown in Diagram 1, this will incorporate the important elements of detailed engineering investigations, with a much firmer commitment of likely uptake and land use. Full financial feasibility will need to be calculated, as well as an estimation of the impacts and requirements of going through the resource consents process. The eventual success of the scheme will depend significantly on the increased information flow and public involvement as described in People Processes in Section 2.3.
Feasibility investigations generally take the following course:
- collate information on crop suitability and the required irrigation management practices for the various soil types in the study area;
- review existing ground water information and then develop an updated conceptual hydrogeological model for the study area, possibly supported with further ground water investigations;
- determine the likely irrigation demand and seasonal water use maps;
- determine the areas of reliable supply of either surface water or ground water and problem areas;
- identify where irrigation can proceed without the need for a communal irrigation infrastructure and where community water supplies are necessary;
- develop all technical options for matching supply and demand. For example, the amount of storage required for community water supply schemes;
- assess the economic feasibility of irrigation to landowners;
- determine the nature and extent of environmental and other demands on the area’s water resources and develop a strategy to ensure land use intensification occurs sustainably;
- analyse all the potential risks that would be associated with irrigation development (technical, economic and business) and assess their relative impact on the irrigation proposals.
- again, at the end of the feasibility study, the promoter will make a decision on whether to proceed with full project development.
4. Devopment. The development phase of the scheme incorporates all activity required to commission the scheme and provide for the delivery of water.
This includes the carrying out of any works which are required as well as the administrative functions of arranging funding and ownership structures and going through the resource consent process. It is still essential in this phase to continue with the information flow and public involvement to ensure that the maximum benefits from the scheme are achieved as early as possible and that the communities are prepared for the implications of the development scheme.
The mix of activities and the timing of when they will occur will vary according to the requirements of individual schemes. The role of the project champion or leader will also change over time as the project progresses through the various stages. At about the time the project progresses from the feasibility stage to the development stage, there is a large change in the leadership role from that of promoter and developer of the project to that of management of the ongoing development and operation of the project. In many instances, leadership of the scheme transfers at that stage from the investigatory committee to the future ownership organisation of the project. The activities of arranging funding and ownership may occur during the feasibility stage with the initial promoters of the scheme and be finalised before the development activity takes over.
Contact for Enquiries
MAF Information Services
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526
Wellington, NEW ZEALAND
Fax: +64 4 894 0721
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