ABSTRACT
Irrigation knowledge developed over the centuries has come to be formidable, sophisticated, and productive. However, observations from around the world suggest that, even with this knowledge, improved water management suffers from disillusionment, misunderstanding, and emphasis on technical detail. M. K. Lowdermilk and his colleagues' user-oriented approach to designing and implementing communication strategies for better operation and maintenance of watercourses has proven to be appropriate. The vertical pattern of communication and heavy reliance on mass media make the Diffusion of Innovation Model less attractive for agricultural development in developing countries. The Package Programs Model is inherently a communication vehicle involving bureaucrats, representatives of the private sector, opinion leaders, agricultural scientists, and small farmers. The Induced Innovation Model emphasizes the importance of the market and market communication with farm organizations but ignores the small farmer. The developmental literature has laid a heavy co-emphasis on communication as one of the pivotal factors for the orderly and systematic process of nation building and development.
