Azerbaijan, Irrigation Distribution System and Management Improvement Project (IDSMIP) Component 1: International Technical Assistance for WUA Support Units

Brief Description of the Project:

The objective of the project was to improve the effectiveness and financial viability of irrigation water distribution and management in 11 rayons covering about 45 WUAs and 56.000 ha. Within the scope of the project, support has been provided to the Water User Associations (WUAs) and the Amelioration and Water Farm Open Joint Stock Company (ANFOJSC).

The IDSMIP covers a time period of 6 years. The main purpose of this 6-year program is essentially to achieve the overall project development objective through;

• Viable WUA Councils covering all 11 rayons of the project area, performing the planning and budgeting of O&M of the irrigation and drainage networks

• Providing of an operational condition to the irrigation and drainage infrastructure as per requirement for the command areas served by the systems.

• In order to achieve the IDSMIP objective, the project provided necessary funds for the development of WUAs institutional capacity, for training and support so that they can take over the O&M of irrigation and drainage systems charges under their own management and rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage systems.

Scope of Services:

• The TA team includes specialists in WUA development, WUA promotion and training, finance, law, monitoring & evaluation, on-farm O&M, construction management.
• These specialists are assisting the Central Support Units to develop the WUA support program, prepare promotional training material and train trainers, comprising mainly the staff of the rayon-support units. The team is also providing guidance to the WUA support unit staff during the establishment and re-registration phase and initial stages of support to WUA’s.