Abstract
To sustain the performance of irrigation schemes, it is important to involve all stakeholders and enhance their management capacity. Using the Q‐methodological approach, drivers of farmers' perceptions of the management of public irrigation schemes were explored, taking the Doho rice irrigation scheme as a case study. Thirty‐nine male and female scheme farmers were selected from all 11 blocks based on the total number of Q‐set items. For each participant, an after‐Q‐sort interview was conducted to verify the Q‐sorting data. Farmers perceived that the establishment of a cooperative society, rehabilitation of the scheme and implementation of punishments for water‐user fee defaulters are among the major factors in improving the performance of the scheme and thus the general increase in rice yield. However, there is a need to improve scheme performance by introducing new technology, capacity building through training and incentives. Based on the Q‐sorting data analysis, four discourses were identified and summarized: (1) paying farmers; (2) disengaged farmers; (3) maintenance farmers; and (4) accountable farmers. All these factors contribute to key management challenges and thus to scheme performance. Local knowledge of the performance of existing schemes based on farmers' experiences is instrumental in guiding policy‐making towards sustaining planned irrigation schemes and thus contributes to improved agricultural production and livelihoods.