bishkek2007 institutionalreforms of irrigation systems in armenia

BishkekBishkek

20072007

INSTITUTIONAL INSTITUTIONAL

REFORMS REFORMS

OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

IN ARMENIAIN ARMENIA

REPUBLIC OF ARMENIAREPUBLIC OF ARMENIA 22

Main topics of the presentationMain topics of the presentation

I.I. Description of Armenian relief Description of Armenian relief

II.II. Description of existing irrigation systemsDescription of existing irrigation systems

III.III. Start of irrigation systems management reformingStart of irrigation systems management reforming

IV.IV. Irrigation systems development programIrrigation systems development program

V.V. Water Users Associations activities, progress and problemsWater Users Associations activities, progress and problems

VI.VI. Strategy of further development of WUAs and management Strategy of further development of WUAs and management reformsreforms


I.I. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEFCOUNTRY’S RELIEF

1. Total territory - 30.000 m2, population – 3.0 mln

2. Climate is extremely continental, rainfall varies from 250 to 1000 mm


SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEFSHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEF((continuedcontinued))

3. 70% òåððèòîðèè èìååò ãîðíûé ðåëüåô, îòìåòêè âûñîêîãîðíûõ ðàâíèí êîëåáëÿòñÿ îò 1000-2100ì íàä óðîâíåì ìîðÿ


SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEFSHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEF

((continuedcontinued))


SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEF SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEF

(continued(continued)) 4. The main natural water basin of the country is Lake Sevan reserving sweet water - 35.0 billion m35. Lake is 1900 m above sea level


SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEF SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY’S RELIEF

(continued(continued))

6. Total irrigated area is6. Total irrigated area is 273.500 ha, of which 156.900 ha is irrigated by gravity method, and 116.600 ha – by mechanical method.

7. Due to irrigating farming 80% of agricultural production is produced.

8. Before lands privatization (1991) number of water users was 920 with land shares 20-250 ha.

9. After privatization the number of water users was 280.000 of farms with land share from 0.05 to 100.


II. DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING II. DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION SYSTEMSIRRIGATION SYSTEMS

Irrigation of the country has a centuries-old history

At present those irrigation systems are maintained that were constructed in II century B.C.


DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION SYSTEMSSYSTEMS((continuedcontinued))


DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION SYSTEMSSYSTEMS

((continuedcontinued))

Irrigation system of the country were constructed mainly during the Soviet Union

70 reservoirs with total conservation zone of 1.1 billion m3, 3.000 km main and off-farm canals, 17.000 km of on-farm network, 400 of pump stations, 2000 of artesian and deep wells were constructed

Due to low prices for energy automatic irrigation prevailed and annually to deliver 1.5 billion m3 of water 600 mln km/h of energy was used



Declaring in 1991 country’s independence and land privatization, irrigation systems transferred to chargeable irrigation

Due to the low payments collection and permanent lack of funds, technical condition of irrigation systems was becoming worse each year

In mid 90-s with the assistance of the World Bank and Internation Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) “Irrigation Systems Rehabilitation” Program was developed

Implementation of the program was the responsibility of “Irrigation systems programs implementation bureau (PIB)

Under the program the urgent works on rehabilitation of emergence areas of irrigation systems were undertaken

In the process of implementation of the first program, it was already clear that irrigation systems rehabilitation alone would not resolve arisen problems on provision liable system


DESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION SYSTEMSDESCRIPTION OF EXISTING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS((continuedcontinued))


III. START OF MANAGEMENT REFORMSIII. START OF MANAGEMENT REFORMS

1. Along with Irrigation systems Rehabilitation program establishment of water users cooperatives started

2. Under the program 100 cooperatives serving 150-300 ha were established.

3. With technical and consultancy support from the PIB, water users cooperative provided normal maintenance of on-farm irrigation systems and water distribution among farmers

4. Most cooperatives provided 75%-80% collection of water payments

5. Inspired with cooperatives’ success, the Government created additional 200 community-based cooperatives under one Resolution

6. Cooperatives did not justify themselves and collapsed


START OF MANAGEMENT REFORMS START OF MANAGEMENT REFORMS (continued)(continued)main reasons of failure of cooperative. main reasons of failure of cooperative.

Lack of needed financial, consultancy and technical Lack of needed financial, consultancy and technical assistance to cooperativeassistance to cooperative

High maintenance costs due to small serving areas (50-High maintenance costs due to small serving areas (50-150 ha)150 ha)

Lack of relating law and legal base, resulted in Lack of relating law and legal base, resulted in cooperatives helpless and defenseless conditioncooperatives helpless and defenseless condition

Strong negative influence to cooperative from local Strong negative influence to cooperative from local state structuresstate structures

Lack of professional staffLack of professional staff

Cooperatives chairmen were appointed, not electedCooperatives chairmen were appointed, not elected


IV. IV. IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMPROGRAM

To perform the tasks under the program the To perform the tasks under the program the following actions were takenfollowing actions were taken Develop a concept of establishing new water users associations (WUAs) and approval of the Law on Water Users Associations. (the Law was approved by the Parliament on 4 June, 2002)

In accordance with the Law on WUAs and Federations of WUAs on the National level a WUAs and FWUAs regulating Council managed by Vice Prime Minister was established

By the Government Resolution, the functions of Executive Directory of WUAs and FWUAs Regulating Council was given to Irrigation systems PIB


IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (continued)(continued)

In state sector, due to institutional reforms, instead of many organizations, there was established one, and later by principle of intake basins – four organizations “Djrar”, that maintain and operate large strategic reservoirs, headworks and strong pump stations

To establish WUAs and transferring to them irrigation functions, in 2002 temporary maintaining organizations were created, they operated and maintained only secondary irrigation systems

Government approved prototypes of Agreement on transfer of main means for self utilization and maintenance of WUAs, Contract on water delivery, Statute of WUAs and FWUAs, and Rules of water supply and irrigation water use


IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROGRAM (continued)(continued)

After aproving the Law on WUAs, establishment of associations After aproving the Law on WUAs, establishment of associations started at once and by the beginning of irrigation season of 2003 started at once and by the beginning of irrigation season of 2003 18 WUAs were created18 WUAs were created

Success of re-established WUAs and unsuccessful activities of Success of re-established WUAs and unsuccessful activities of temporary state organizations accelerated the process of WUAs temporary state organizations accelerated the process of WUAs creation and already by the beginning of irrigation season of creation and already by the beginning of irrigation season of 2004 54 WUAs were established2004 54 WUAs were established

Secondary and tertiary irrigation systems, according to the Secondary and tertiary irrigation systems, according to the Government and local state authorities decision, were given to Government and local state authorities decision, were given to WUAs for operation and maintenance for 25 yearsWUAs for operation and maintenance for 25 years

As a result, the only state organizations in the irrigation systems were 4 organizations “Djrar” on reservoir level

Irrigation management on secondary and tertiary irrigation

systems in the country was denationalized, i.e. transfer from governmental structures to WUAs


V. WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING V. WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING PROBLEMSPROBLEMSMajor indicators of WUAs activities in the breakdown of yearsMajor indicators of WUAs activities in the breakdown of years

Ïëîùàäü îðîøåíèÿ òûñ. ãà

100105

110115

120125

130135

Ïëîùàäü îðîøåíèÿ òûñ.ãà

113,4 125,6 130,3

2004 2005 2006

Âî äî çàáî ð ì ëí .ì 3

850

900

950

1000

1050

1100

1150

1200

Âî äî çàáî ð ì ëí .ì 3 1169 1025 985

2004 2005 2006

Ðàñõî ä ýë. ýí åðãèè ì ëí . êâò. ÷àñ

0

50

100

150

Ðàñõî ä ýë. ýí åðãèèì ëí . êâò. ÷àñ

128 111,5 104,8

2004 2005 2006

Ñáî ð ï ëàòû ì ëí .$

0

2

4

6

8

10

Ñáî ð ï ëàòû ì ëí .$ 7,2 8,5 9,1

2004 2005 2006


V. WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING V. WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

The main criteria of WUAs success may the following

Signing individual agreements of water delivery with consumers and introduction of Institute with liability for breakage into WUAs

Daily technical and consultancy work of support group, that had been functioning under development program

Introduction of software for water estimation on all levels, from main canals to water-users. The software provides data on each water user – amount of received water, costs, payments, etc.


WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING PROBLEMS WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING PROBLEMS (continued)(continued)

Participation (co-financing) of water users in procurement of vehicles, equipment and machinery for associations, and for construction and overall repair of on-farm network

Participation of WUA members at meetings of Representatives and, if necessary, on Administrative Council

Participation of Administration members, water users representatives and specialists of WUA directory on training courses with 10 modules, organized and conducted under the program by international and local specialists


The main problems to be solved on the way of WUAs establishment Inactivity of water users in WUA management

Unsatisfactory work of administrative council, Audit Committee and Disputes Settlement Committee

Unsatisfactory technical condition of received for maintenance irrigation systems

Discrepancy of existing on-farm network with privatized land shares

Lack of new technologies and low level of irrigation methods of water users

Power-consuming irrigation and high energy costs in water prime costs

Lack of professional staff in WUA

WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING PROBLEMS WUA ACTIVITIES AND EXISTING PROBLEMS (continued)(continued)


1. Continue of consultancy and organizational assistance

for more active participation of water users in WUA management

2. Strengthen organizational, administrative and functional capacities of WUAs

3. For organization of more effective maintenance and operation of main systems establish Federations of WUAs (FWUAs)

4. Continue technical re-equipment of WUAs on the basis of co-financing and works on overall repair of on-farm network

VI. STRATEGY OF FURTHER WUA DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT REFORMS


STRATEGY OF FURTHER WUA DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT REFORMS(continued)

5. Provide organizational assistance and technical equipment to created FWUAs and governmental organizations “Djrar”

6. For more effective training of irrigation systems staff and water users create Republican Training Centre with three regional branch offices and equip them with new training technologies

7 Provide necessary conditions (preconditions) for creating “Professional Irrigation Associations”, that would present the interest of WUAs in state authorities


THANKS

bishkek2007 institutionalreforms of irrigation systems in armenia

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