Multiple Uses of Water in Irrigated Areas: A Case Study from Sri Lanka

Abstract

"The 1990s have witnessed a dramatic shift in the priorities for water resource allocations and development. Irrigation, which was once seen as the essential factor for securing sufficient food production, is now seen as a 'low-value' use of water compared to its municipal, industrial, and even the environmental uses. Irrigation no longer receives priority either in the allocation of funds for project developments or in the allocation of water itself."