Test Drive | Page 155

Chapter  9:  Case  studies  in  Ta’izz     agricultural  fields   AREA   Research  and  extension  for  agriculture   CACB   Provision  of  development  finance  for  farmers   GAREWS   Rural  water  and  electricity  supply   IDAS   Enhance  self-­‐help  capacity  of  farmers   Local  councils  (LCs)   Promote   and   manage   local,   rural   development   including   water   supplies  and  irrigation   LWCP   Implementation   of   water   monitoring,   irrigation   and   forestry   projects   SURDU   Rural  development,  including  irrigation,  extension  and  monitoring   Urban  Emphasis     NWSA   Urban  water  and  sewerage  supply   TSWSSSR   Help  NWSA  branches  towards  a  more  autonomous  and  commercial   basis   and   encourage   PSP   in   urban   water   supply   and   sanitation   provision   Source:  Handley  (2001)     The   non-­‐governmental   institutions   in   the   region   are   mainly   traditional   support   systems   within   and   between   communities,   sheiks   and   the   private   water   sector.   Joshi   (1995)   summarized   some   of   the   traditional  support  systems  of  co-­‐operation  within  and  between  communities  related  to  water  use  that  are   described  in  Table  9.3.     Table  9.3:  Traditional  support  systems   Support  system   Description   Al-­‐Ana  or  Al-­‐shamla   Communal   "voluntary"   work.   Penalties   for   those   not   volunteering.   Well  digging,  bridges,  dams,  rebuilding  after  calamities     Al-­‐Muthaha   Mutual   support   among   neighbouring   farmers   -­‐   irrigation   equipment,   labour  etc   Al-­‐`  fi  Majal  Al-­‐ray   Co-­‐operation   in   irrigation   -­‐   one   farmer   is   responsible   for   distributing   water  collected  during  rainfall     Source:  Joshi  (1995)     Sheiks  and  the  "suruub  al  miiyaah"  managers  (water  distributor)  have  a  prominent  role  in  the  water  sector.   Sheiks  are  usually  senior  members  elected  by  local  families  on  the  basis  of  their  knowledge  of  customary   law   and   Shari’ah   and   for   their   maturity   and   impartiality   (Handley,   2001).   Finally   the   major   area   of   non-­‐ traditional  initiatives  in  water  supply  has  been  in  the  private  sector.  For  instance,  private  companies  who   supply  drinking  water  in  urban  and  rural  areas  (Handley,  2001).     According  to  Handley  (2001)  the  relevance  and  role  of  the  non-­‐governmental  traditional  institutions  stands   in  direct  contrast  to  that  of  the  governmental  institutions.  Although  there  is  a  tradition  of  co-­‐operation  this   has   been   limited   to   irrigation   and   rural   water   supply.   The   sheiks   system   is   also   open   to   principal-­‐agent   abuses,  but  can  and  must  be  worked  through,  rather  than  around.     The Political Economy in Yemen of Water Management: Conflict Analysis and Recommendations  142  of  241