Water Is One Of The Essential Resources In Ag¬Ricultural Production, Which Has Several Unique Characteristics. Individual Farmers, Acting Alone, Can Seldom Acquire Water For Irrigation. Con¬Struction And Maintenance Of The Physical Struc¬Tures To Divert, Convey, And Distribute Water Usually Require Huge Investments, Which Is Beyond The Capacity Of A Farmer Surface Wa¬Ter Cannot Be Easily Stored And Particularly By The Individual Farmer, As Fertilisers, Pesticides Etc. Can Be. Water Must Be Used Whenever It Is Available. However, Farmers Generally Can¬Not Transport Water Economically Over Great Distances And The Locations. All Irrigation Systems Require That Certain Es¬Sential Tasks Should Be Accomplished, If The System Is To Function Productively, For Which Three Sets Of Management Activities Become Essential.For An Efficient Management Of Irrigation Projects, The Role Of Organisation, Channels Of Communications, Patterns Of Influence, Lines Of Authority And Loyalty, Which Can Ensure Some Sort Of Efficiency, Equity And Social Jus¬Tice, Cannot Be Overemphasized. This Neces¬Sitates That Irrigation Management Must De¬Vote A Large Part Of Its Attention To Its Organi¬Sation.This Noble Objective Can Be Achieved Through An Interdisciplinary Approach To The Manage¬Ment And Organisation, Water Distribution, Crop¬Ping Pattern, Complementary Inputs, Land Re¬Forms, Fanners' Participation, Pricing Of Wa¬Ter And Energy, Economic And Financial Evalu¬Ation, Institutional Needs, Command Area De¬Velopment Etc. This Could Be Possible Through The Structuring Of Individuals And Functions Into Productive Relationships In An Organisation. This Book Addresses To This Crucial But Ne¬Glected Element In The Equation Of Efficient Irrigation Management. It Starts From The Premise That Irrigation Management Is Best Regarded As A Socio-Technical Enterprise, Where The Human Dimension Interacts With The Physical And Technical Ones. The Book Thus Covers A Series Of Organizational Variables And Human Behaviour Backed With Critical Inputs, Insti¬Tutional Needs And Services.

This monograph provides an overview of the principles required for a service orientation in the management of irrigation and drainage systems. The material covered is designed to emphasize an area largely neglected in the irrigation and drainage management literature. The dominating philosophy underlying this book is that irrigation and drainage systems must be managed as a service business responsive to the needs and changing requirements of its customers. It is postulated that this service approach to the management of irrigation and drainage systems consitutes a key element of the startegy that is needed to improve the current level of performance of many irrigation and drainage systems worldwide. Enhanced performance of irrigation is a prerequisite if we are to face the enormous challenge of producing greater quantities of food to meet the demand of a growing population. This is particularly the case in an environment with increasing competition for water from industry and urban water users, set against mounting concerns about environmental sustainability.