用水农户参与农田水利设施管护的广度和深度直接影响水利设施综合效用的发挥，并从个体意愿层面反映着农业生产的组织化水平。伴随市场经济改革的不断深入，农业生产重新掀起了合作化浪潮，农田水利设施管护也应由基层政府的单独行动转变为以农民用水户协会为主体的多元参与，培养各参与成员协作、自觉、民主、责任的契约精神。作为农田水利设施管护参与的重要力量，农民自身的契约精神还较孱弱，农田水利设施管护参与不足、效果不佳。必须调整思路，可通过经济带动、教育熏陶、制度规范以及实践历练着力培育农民的契约意识，塑造公民文化，为农田水利设施管护创造“软环境”。

The breadth and depth of the farmers’ participation of the management and maintenance of the irrigation and water conservancy facilities directly affect the comprehensive utility of water conservancy facilities, and it reflects the level of organization of agricultural production from individual level. With the deepening of the reform of market economy, agricultural production set off a tide of cooperation, the management and maintenance of irrigation and water conservancy facilities need to be changed from government separate actions to multiple participation(water users associations is main body) ,and cultivate the contract spirit of participation members in the consciousness, cooperation, democracy and responsibility. As an important force to participate in the management and maintenance of the irrigation and water conservancy facilities, farmers’ contract spirit is relatively weak, the management and maintenance of irrigation and water conservancy facilities is insufficient and ineffective. Thus, we should adjust methods and cultivating farmers' contract consciousness and shaping the citizen culture through economic driven, education edification, regulations and practical experience, which creates a "soft environment for the management of irrigation and water conservancy facilities.