Crops, People and Irrigation

In the case studies presented here, irrigation engineers describe water distribution practices as they actually occur in various schemes. Six of the schemes (in Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal and Bolivia) are farmer-managed, and two (in South India and Bali) are managed jointly by farmers and technical officers. The authors relate water flows to social processes and contrast conventional engineering wisdom with the practices they have observed.

Geert Diemar, social scientist, is senior lecturer in the Department of Irrigation and Soil and Water Conservation of Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands.

Frans Huibers, irrigation engineer, is senior lecturer in the Department of Irrigation and Soil and Water Conservation of Wageningen Agricultural Universtiy, The Netherlands.