Chicanery at the Canal: Changing Practice in Irrigation Management in Western Mexico

Irrigation systems are microsocieties with clear technical and social dimensions. This monograph on a medium-sized irrigation system in Western Mexico introduces the reader to the often fascinating practices of farmers, leaders, field officers and engineers, and shows how they cope with each other and with the constraints put forward by the canal system. Through this account, the author attempts to clarify the formal and informal organizing processes in irrigation systems. The publication links up with recent trends in transferring management responsibilities to water users' organizations. It describes in detail which forces emerge when water users start participating in the management of a government-operated irrigation system, and analyzes how practices gradually change. This allows the author to elaborate a model for diagnosing irrigation organization and to propose a practical intervention strategy.Van der Zaag, Pieter is the author of 'Chicanery at the Canal: Changing Practice in Irrigation Management in Western Mexico' with ISBN 9789070280345 and ISBN 9070280345.