MCA-ARMENIA PROGRAM DONATES 19 BACKHOE LOADERS TO WATER USER ASSOCIATIONS AND WATER SUPPLY AGENCIES
armradio.am
21.06.2011 18:17
On June 21 the U.S. government funded Millennium Challenge
Account-Armenia program (MCA-Armenia) donated19 new JCB backhoe
loaders (GB) to Armenia’s Water User Associations (WUAs) and Water
Supply Agencies (WSA) as part of the Institutional Strengthening of
Water Management Entities Sub-Activity (ISSA).
Present at the donation ceremony were Deputy Prime Minister Armen
Gevorgyan, Head of the State Water Committee Andranik Andreasyan,
MCC Resident Country Director Alex Russin, MCA-Armenia CEO Ara
Hovsepyan, and the directors of 16 WUAs and 3 WSAs, who signed the
donation agreements with MCA-Armenia, State Water Committee and “Four
Directions Electronics” LLC, the importing company. MCA-Armenia will
donate 19 additional backhoe loaders in the next two months.
Heavy machinery is provided to WUAs and WSAs as part of ISSA to
facilitate maintenance of the irrigation canals under WUAs’ service
areas. According to the agreement, water management entities will be
required to implement commercial insurance to ensure care, maintenance
and sustainability on the backhoes. The price of the procurement
contract for 38 backhoes is about USD 2.2 million.
Armenia’s 44 Water User Associations and 3 Water Supply Agencies are
among the primary beneficiaries of the MCA-Armenia program. Besides
heavy machinery, they receive assistance in the development
and implementation of Management Improvement Plans (MIPs), the
development and installation of different software, including
Geographic Information System (GIS), new computers, irrigation
software, office equipment and technical support to strengthen
operations and improve the level of service to farmers.
The U.S. government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation’s total
investment in Armenia’s agricultural and water sector is expected to
reach USD 177 million by the program’s completion in September 2011.
The goal of the program is the reduction of rural poverty through
the rehabilitation of Armenia’s vital irrigation infrastructure,
complemented with extensive technical and financial assistance to rural
farmers, and to the government irrigation entities that support them.