ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the different forms of farmer participation in water management activities found in Sri Lanka. The wide range of variation in types of irrigation schemes combined with both ancient and modern forms of water management provides a rich source of information useful in illustrating the potential range of farmer involvement in irrigation activities. The role of water management in indigenous peasant agriculture in Sri Lanka is the domain of the village irrigation headman who typically manages a tract of 300 to 500 acres. The major formal sanctions used by the irrigation headman to ensure compliance and cooperation of cultivators to water management rules are to report violators to the village council, and the withholding of water issues. An irrigation assistant for each unit was appointed by the system administrators to organize turnout groups, oversee water allocation and distribution, canal and check works maintenance and conflict resolution; roles formerly assumed by the irrigation headman.
