The strong irrigation tradition has sustained the broad based community community interest in irrigation. The result is a very complex institutional milieu in which a set of formally established irrigation rules and organizations exists side by side with an intricate set of social institutions. The two sets act like a dual system often in conflict with each other. The authors, while analyzing the present institutional barriers, have highlighted the importance of irrigation rules and procedures in the institutional framework.

Research results: performances assessment; Research results: design and operation of irrigation systems; Research results: policy, institutions, and management; Research results: health and environment; Training and institutional strengthening; Conclusions: outputs, impacts, and future directions.

This report is based on the results of an action research program in pakistan conducted by the International Water Managament Institute (IWMI). An analysis of empirical data is presented in the light of existing theoretical kmowledge on collective action for natural resources management. the report also highlights the current constraints associated with a wider application of some of these findings, which reflect the difficulties in pursuing large-scale institutional reforms in the rural sector of developing coutries. finally, the report raises some key research issues that need to be explored further.

Contributed articles presented at the Workshop on the Institutional Framework for Irrigation focussing Southeast Asia.

Argues that single irrigation systems managed by autonomous system-specific organizations accountable to their customers, perform better and are more sustainable than those managed by agencies dependent on the government, or by agencies responsible for multiple systems. Selected cases are reviewed and the plausibility of this hypothesis established. General recommendations are made for policy makers designing irrigation reform programs.

Contributed articles presented at the Workshop.