This paper reports on a detailed sociological study carried out as the NGO (or change agent) was completing three-year projects in two sites, Nagadeepa and Pimburettewa. The study describes the change agent's strategy, and analyzes its impact and the perceptions of farmers and government officials regarding its impact. The case study is placed in a wider context, in terms of both the participatory management policy of the Government of Sri Lanka, and the lessons learned that are relevant for NGOs working in other countries as well.

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.