This paper analyzes the contributions of a non-goverment organization in improving management of small-scale irrigation systems in Sri Lanka. It documents the decision-making processes in the non-government organization and the context in which this decision making takes place: government policies and policies of non-government organizations in improving the performance of small scale irrigation systems and in assisting the rural population in general. The site selected for research was the Tank Settlement Project in Hamhantota District, Southern Sri Lanka.

Farming Systems Research has three core characteristics: it builds on systems thinking, it depends on the close collaboration between social and biophysical sciences, and it relies on participation to build co-learning processes. Farming Systems Research posits that to contribute towards sustainable rural development, both interdisciplinary collaborations and local actor engagement are needed. Together, they allow for changes in understanding and changes in practices. This book gives an overview of the insights generated in 20 years of Farming Systems Research. It retraces the emergence and development of Farming Systems Research in Europe, summarises the state-of-the-art for key areas, and provides an outlook on new explorations, especially those tackling the dynamic nature of farming systems and their interaction with the natural environment and the context of action.

Overview of the workshop; papers related to design outcomes; papers related to the design process; case studies; country papers.

The report begins with an overview of the challenges on agricultural systems to make more food available and accessible and lays out the potential of irrigation to make agriculture more productive, efficient and profitable for smallholder farmers. A discussion on the potential to expand irrigation across Africa and barriers to uptake including an analysis of the inherent risks and desired outcomes of irrigation forms the next section. The report reviews the traditional and new, innovative smallscale and large-scale irrigation approaches and technologies that have been implemented in Africa, followed by an analysis of the experiences of six African countries that have been particularly innovative and successful in terms of their institutional and policy design for irrigation. The report closes by drawing some key lessons and offering nine recommendations for actions by African governments and the private sector.