Successfully governing the commons: Principles of social organization in an Andean irrigation system

Throughout the world it is unusual to find irrigation systems that work wel l, distributing water efficiently and with minimal conflict, especially in situations where the resource is scarce. This paper describes one such syst em in the Peruvian Andes, a peasant village where irrigation and water mana gement ave handled in an unusual way. It analyzes the village principles of social organization, showing that these create a situation of equity and t ransparency which provides people with a strong incentive to obey the rules and conserve water By doing so, dley are directly maximizing the frequency of irrigation, a benefit that is the same for everyone using a given sourc e of water: The system is argued to be a highly effective and sustainable w ay of dealing with a scarce and fluctuating resource.