Indigenous irrigation in south Bihar - A case of congruence of boundaries

All over the world irrigation farmers' organisations have been very effecti ve in irrigation management, both at project and farm levels. Farmers, acti ng collectively, rather than governments, have determined both procedures f or distributing water and resolution of conflicts with other groups over th e development of additional supplies, The 'ahar-pyne' system in south Bihar is one such indigenous irrigation sys tem in India, which has successfully galvanised the local farming community in large numbers against caste divisions and ecological obstacles for over 100 years and ensured equitable distribution of water among individual cul tivators.