The conditions for collective action : land tenure and farmers groups in the Rajasthan Canal Project.

Poor performance of existing irrigation systems is commonly perceived to be the result of a lack of involvement by farmers in their design and management. Attempts to solve this have focussed on the establishment of water user groups. Based on case studies from two contrasting areas in the Rajasthan Canal Project, this paper argues that it is esential to understand the different tenure-based differences existing amongst water users, since they determine strongly the prospects of the formation and success of farmers organisations and ultimately of irrigation management transfer.