Author(s):

Dr. V David Chella Baskar and Dr. K Mani

Abstract: The water use efficiency could be enhanced by ensuring adequate and timely water availability at the delivery system and by facilitating efficient on-farm use of the irrigation water to optimize agricultural production. Systematic and scientific approach is needed for optimizing water and other resources use to increase the performance efficiency of existing irrigation projects in terms of productivity per hectare. Water Users’ Associations (WUA) are voluntary, non-governmental, non-profitable entity established and managed by a group of farmers located along one or several water source canals. Water users include farmers, peasants and other owners who pool together their financial, material and technical resources to improve the productivity of irrigated farming through equitable distribution of water and efficient use of irrigation and drainage systems (USAID, 1992). Hence, a study on Water Users’ Association and problems relating to allocation, distribution and efficient use of water and also to assess the impact and participation of farmers in WUAs of the selected areas in terms of farm productivity becomes very important. The studies on performance of WUAs in Tamil Nadu especially in Tirunelveli were very much limited. Therefore an attempt was made to study the economic impacts of WUAs’ on productivity of major crops in Thamirabarani river basins.

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