ARMENIA IRRIGATION REHABILITATION EMERGENCY PROJECT

World Bank Group
Aug 26 2009

The Armenia Irrigation Rehabilitation Emergency Project (IREP),
approved by the Board of Directors on July 28, is helping people
revive agriculture in the most remote parts of the country, such
as the village of Aghavnadsor located in the mountainous region of
Vayots Dsor. Vigen Sargsyan and Tatevik Mnatsakanyan of the Armenia
communications team, tell the story.

Vahram Matevosyan, whose vineyards have enlarged over new lands
irrigated by water in Aghavnadsor village, says: "The situation has
improved drastically. I am establishing new vineyards with optimism,
being sure that they will never wither."

Nature has endowed Vayots Dsor region of Armenia with severely dry and
mountainous land. Yet, if irrigated, it delivers some of the best wine
grapes in the country. The village of Aghavnadsor spreads across a
high-altitude valley at the foot of rocky mountains–insurmountable
and non-arable at first glance. However, recently farming, the
traditional occupation of the local people, has ‘migrated’ high into
the mountains. This is the result of the newly-introduced irrigation
system in the area. The construction of Vayots Dzor gravity pipeline,
spanning nearly 70 kilometers, if far more efficient than the old
system of pumps which took huge volumes of electricity consumption.

Through the World Bank-sponsored Irrigation Development Project (IDP),
the basis for an effective and sustainable management of irrigation
infrastructure has been created in Armenia, including conversion
from pumping to gravity, and rehabilitation of some of the main
irrigation structures and tertiary canals. As a result, irrigated
land had increased by 15 000 ha by the end of 2008. Conversion from
pumps with high electricity costs to gravity irrigation has resulted
in saving around 51 million KWT electricity annually, amounting to
a total of US$ 3.5 million.

Michael Grigoryan from Aghavnadsor turned to large-scale farming
only two years ago, when the outcomes of the Project reached the
lands surrounding his village. He leased land on the hill above the
village and started the mass planting of young vines.

"Irrigation had always been a major issue, for us, as well as for
the neighboring communities, ever since the system collapsed in the
early nineties. I became extremely enthusiastic, when I learnt two
years ago that the lands above had become irrigable, so I started a
new vineyard," says Michael. "I rejoice every time watering my young
plants and watching them grow day by day. I am very optimistic that
already next year I will reap a good harvest and enjoy the first
portion of wine from my land."

Many farmers have switched from wheat to higher value crops. Artak
Sargsyan, with his 17 hectares of land in Talvorik village of Armavir
region, is one of them. "Irrigation used to be a huge constraint,
and farmers were unable to bring in the crops they would have with
better access to water," he says. "Not anymore. Now I am confident
of what I am cultivating."

Armavir, the main canal that takes water from the Araks river, was one
of the greatest achievements of the project. The reconstruction of the
head gate redoubled the capacity of the intake – up to 53 square meters
of water per second. The irrigation water supply in Armavir region has
dramatically improved due to reconstruction of the head intake on the
canal and to rehabilitation of the on-farm irrigation network. As a
result, Artak is now planting new vineyards in the vicinity of where
old ones used to be. Moreover, special software installed in the Water
Users Associations allows him, as well as all water users, to follow
how much water he has used and how much he has paid against it.

The establishment of Water Users Associations was a real revolution
in the maintenance of the irrigation system in Armenia. Through
this initiative 14 public agencies responsible for irrigation water
delivery were replaced. There are 44 Associations operating in the
country currently, signing agreements with farmers, delivering water
and maintaining the irrigation network.

The success of the Water Users Associations is tangible. "Whether
through institutional reform, or development of infrastructure,
we strive towards one goal–delivering more water to farmers, at
the time and in the quantity required by the farmer," says Adibek
Ghazaryan, Director of the Water Sector Development and Institutional
Improvements Project Implementation Unit. "Statistics, including that
of decreased water loss and huge increase of payments collection,
shows that we are achieving success."

Upon this success will be built a new World Bank-sponsored project –
the Irrigation Rehabilitation Emergency Project (IREP). Resources
will be channeled to the rehabilitation of almost 84 km of the main
canals in Armavir and Talin that will reduce losses of up to 70
thousand cubic meters of water and could help to bring 7,300 ha of
land back to irrigation. The project will go one step further in the
institutional reform process, by providing further support to the Water
Users Associations, in particular through creation of Federations of
Water User Associations. The new project also aims to create jobs on
the ground, and thus alleviate the poverty of the local people.