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Rice is the staple food of nearly half of the world's population, most of whom live in Asia. For intensive, high-yielding rice production, access to irrigation water and drainage facilities is crucial. Provision of irrigation facilities expanded rapidly in the 1970's and early 1980's in the major rice-producing countries of Asia, but the management of water has remained inefficient. Investments in new irrigation have declined as the rice supply improved and the development of new water resources became increasingly costly. This trend is not likely to be reversed in the foreseeable future. Consequently, improved efficiency in the use of water is needed to maintain rice production growth.