Factors Influencing the Success of Tank Rehabilitation Projects in India and Sri Lanka: A Meta-Analysis

To increase crop production in water-scarce areas, rehabilitation of tank systems is been used as an effective tool. This study conducts a meta-analysis on 48 economic impact analysis studies on the topic of tank rehabilitation. The performance of the tank rehabilitation is measured through the benefit-cost (B/C) ratio, and the factors affecting the performance of tank rehabilitation are analyzed through the meta-analysis. The results of the study reveal that the mean B/C ratio of the rehabilitation projects carried out in Sri Lanka is 2.49, while it is 2.52 for India. The regression analysis highlights that the rainfall, farmer participation, and conducting operation and management (O&M) activities along with the physical rehabilitation in the tank rehabilitation have significant positive impacts on the B/C ratio of tank rehabilitation projects. The significance of rainfall explains the fact that in areas with less rainfall, the success of rehabilitation projects was found to be low due to the inability of increasing cropping areas and cropping intensity due to water scarcity. The involvement of farmers in multiple stages of rehabilitation projects including planning, developing, and executing showed a significant impact on tank rehabilitation proving that the active and voluntary participation of all stakeholders guarantees the successful implementation and post-management of the rehabilitation. The rehabilitation projects focused on implementing O&M strategies showed high B/C ratios comparatively, which also implied the importance of farmer involvement.