ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the nature of farmer participation in irrigation management as it occurs in Sind Province of Pakistan, comparing traditional areas of involvement with expanded participation which is being encouraged through the Command Water Management Project. The management of irrigation systems occurs at different levels and involves different tasks. D. M. Freeman and M. L. Lowdermilk identify central organization, local command area, and farm levels of water management. The irrigation system operates almost as two separate entities. First is the system of main canals, distributaries, and minor canals, managed by the provincial irrigation departments and designed to deliver a minimum sanctioned discharge to each turnout on every minor. Second is the collection of separate watercourses, each managed in a different way by the farmers, and each receiving a particular supply of water at the turnout that must be distributed within the command area.
