Case studies from Morocco, the Philippines, Indonesia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic are the basis of this analysis of irrigation system financing and management. The following issues were examined in depth: (1) the feasibility of cost recovery through direct and indirect charges; (2) whether farmer participation in and control of system management improves cost recovery and operation and maintenance; (4) the degree to which cost recovery depends on reliable and adequate water supply, water delivery, and measurement technology; and (5) whether increased water charges are a necessary and sufficient condition for improved operation and maintenance and the extent to which efficiency of water use varies with the cost of water. Concluding overall that the resources for maintaining irrigation inputs must come from the direct beneficiaries, the study details, for each of the five issues, conclusions and recommendations adaptable to specific technical, economic, and political situations. A 58-page annotated bibliography is included.