Baku, September 23 (AZERTAC). The World Bank has conducted a final workshop on Irrigation Distribution System and Management Improvement Project (IDSMIP) in Azerbaijan.

Some $39 million of the $44 million-project will be provided by the World Bank.

Launched in 2003, the project will involve 33 regions of Azerbaijan.

"The development objective of the proposed Irrigation Distribution System and Management Improvement Project is to improve the effectiveness and financial viability of irrigation water distribution and management on 56,000 ha," said WB project director David Meierbah.

There are 3 components to the project. The first would include several activities, designed to develop sustainable operating WUAs in the country. It would finance technical assistance, goods and training. The second: During project preparation diagnostic surveys were carried out in nine project regions. The main technical findings of the survey work were: (i) on-farm systems are in poor condition with high water losses; (ii) canals are seriously affected by the heavy silt load in irrigation water due to non-functioning desalting at headworks; (iii) there is lack of operational hydraulic structures, and therefore no regulation or water measurement, and thus no incentive for efficient use of water; (iv) pump irrigation is seriously affected by poor quality of pumps and unreliable electricity supply; and (v) significant areas have been affected by salinity, and reclamation would be needed. 3) With the similarities in implementation requirements for the ongoing Rehabilitation and Completion of Irrigation and Drainage Infrastructure Project, the existing PKJ would also be responsible, on behalf of SAIC, for the daily management, administration and coordination of the IDSMIP.

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