ABSTRACT
The irrigation management literature is largely concerned with illustrating the poor water supply practices in effect around the world and with suggesting organizational solutions to these problems. Some would argue that social impact assessment is merely one end of the same spectrum with environmental impact assessment (EIA) at the other, that the objectives, approach, methodologies and results obtained are sufficiently similar not to warrant separate treatment. Evaluation of the economic impacts of water resources development usually depends upon cost benefit analysis (CBA). Even those who get to use water resources can sometimes end up as losers' because they may exchange adequate subsistence rained farming for risky market-orientated irrigated production of cash crops. There is a real risk of jealousy and unrest if water resources development benefits one village or group of people but not others in the vicinity.
