As of 2005, Cambodia had more than 1,000 irrigation schemes with a potential command area of about 437,000 hectares. However, only about 55% of the schemes were considered operational. In the Cambodian context of the time, irrigation largely involved the management of floodwaters in recession. Irrigation schemes were typically designed to supplement rainfall at the start and/or end of the rainy season, and to divert Mekong River water to adjacent farmlands during the dry season. Multiple cropping systems were uncommon. The sustainability of investments in the irrigation sector was a concern. This research proposal looked to strengthen the capacity of the Government to manage water resources in a sustainable, participatory, and transparent way, focusing on improving irrigation management in the Tonle Sap basin. The research proposal also looked to support the establishment of the Tonle Sap Basin Management Organization.