Assessing the Impact of Watercourse Encroachments on Farmers' Irrigation Satisfaction in Central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of encroachment on farmers' satisfaction with irrigation water distribution in central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A sample of 466 farmers was selected through multistage stratified random sampling, and data were collected via an interview schedule. Chi‐square and Kendall's Tau‐c tests were used to analyse the relationships between watercourse encroachment and farmer satisfaction levels with the irrigation water distribution. The results revealed significant negative correlations between encroachments and farmer satisfaction, particularly for water channel obstructions ( p < 0.05; T c = −0.230), commercial building construction ( p < 0.05; T c = −0.056), rural habitation encroachments ( p < 0.05; T c = −0.238), buried watercourses ( p < 0.05; T c = −0.305), irrigation channel diversions ( p < 0.05; T c = −0.061), and restricted access for desilting and clearing ( p < 0.05; T c = −0.276). Interestingly, complaints about encroachment were positively associated with satisfaction ( p < 0.05; T c = 0.008). The study concludes that irrigation departments and government authorities have failed to address encroachment and act on farmers' complaints. It recommends mobilizing local communities, strengthening irrigation authorities, legally penalizing offenders, and improving irrigation water distribution to increase farmer satisfaction.