Permalink : http://hdl.handle.net/2115/63310

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the difference in water availability in irrigation systems affects the structure of rice production and income distribution in Sri Lanka. Our survey was carried out in 1989 in two Sri Lankan villages. One was located at the headreach and the other at the tailend of the main canal in a large irrigation system that is mainly managed by the government. There was a significant differences in water availability between the two villages and within each village. The difference in water availability has significantly affected the structure of rice production in areas such as production techniques, labor inputs, and rice yields. Our estimated production function showed that the structure of rice production was brought about by unequal water distribution in the irrigation system. In addition, we have found that the rice income of the headreach village was three times of the tailend village in the dry season and that the inequality in income distribution in the respective villages was more severe in the tailend village than the headreach. These inequalities were brought about by unequal water availability in the irrigation system. We believe that it is necessary to develop farm organizations to participate in irrigation management in systems that are mainly controlled by the government.