Jelle Beekma

Jelle Beekma has over 30 years of experience in irrigation, drainage, water supply, and sanitation and (trans-boundary river basin management and related policy and institutional issues. Jelle has water management experience in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America as a government employee, researcher, consultant, and presently as senior water resources specialist for the Asian Development Bank, in the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department.

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Cambodia

The lack of clean water has become a major problem for many rural people, especially in Cambodia, where rural households reach 2.5 million and total rural population number more than 11.5 million. More than half of the rural population practice open defecation and walk long distances to access water. Through a strategic and long-term partnership with ADB, Cambodia has gained ground in its efforts to provide improved access to water and sanitation.

Try Meng on Rural Water Supply and Sanitation in Cambodia

Many countries in Asia experience low access to water and sanitation services, especially in rural areas. Cambodia, through a long-term strategic partnership with ADB, has been able to achieve many wins in this front. It was able mobilize communities to manage community-based water supply and sanitation facilities, increase hygiene awareness, improve access to safe water, expand access to sanitation facilities, and improve the government's capacity to plan and facilitate provisions for quality water and sanitation services in target communities.

An Analytical Framework for Irrigation Systems Modernization

Various issues affect large-scale irrigation performance in India. These include increasing water demand and very low water use efficiency. To support the implementation of India's National Water Mission, an analytical framework to assess systems performance and modernize India's irrigation system was tested on two major irrigation systems in Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. This learning event discussed the results of this test, along with recommendations to optimize irrigation performance in India.

Greener Pastures from the Sun: Solar Photovoltaic-Driven Irrigation in Qinghai Province

Valuable pasture lands in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are being degraded through overgrazing, conversion, and reduced levels of precipitation as a result of climate change. Qinghai Province is tackling this problem through the innovative use of solar photovoltaic (PV) power for irrigation; a solution that has enormous capacity for upscaling within PRC and throughout Asia.

Life in the Slow Lane

This video explores the relationship between urban and rural areas, and the benefits of engaging in countryside retreat to find peace and quiet from the constant rush of city life. It also focuses on agricultural irrigation as a vital component in bringing livelihood improvement to rural farmers.

Promoting Good Governance in Irrigation

This document presents a broadened perspective of governance in irrigation. It discusses these three key aspects: (i) lessons learned and opportunities to strengthen institutional, policy, and legal frameworks to improve performance; (ii) changing rural dynamics and the feminization of agriculture; and (iii) the influence of subsidies and price distortions on water productivity.