Managing Technological Change in Agriculture

Abstract

The effect of government-constructed irrigation structures depends crucially on the extent to which they are completed downstream at farm level, and on the presence of a mechanism to secure adequate maintenance of the structures at all levels.¹ It is therefore necessary to discuss the establishment of operation and maintenance (O&M) schemes for irrigation projects as well. There were various irrigation projects in Indonesia and a large number of different O&M schemes during the colonial period, the features of which depended on local circumstances. A discussion of particular projects may therefore be more appropriate than an attempt to generalise the impact of irrigation works. A generalisation of the impact of irrigation policy can only discuss some key aspects.