Ministerial Partnerships Work to Keep Water Flowing in South Rashidiya Canals
16 Oct 2008
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In the midst of Iraq’s struggles with crippling drought, the USAID-funded Tatweer program has facilitated a partnership between the Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) and Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to help secure a rehabilitation budget allotment to keep the water flowing through the South Rashidiya canals. The South Rashidiya Project, the first inter-ministry, multi-organization approach with the USAID-funded programs Tatweer and INMA and the local Provincial Reconstruction Team, could prove to be a pilot for other development projects involving Iraqi Ministries and U.S. assistance.
The problems with South Rashidiya irrigation systems are not new. Water used to flow freely in the area’s agricultural canals, serving 4,000 hectares. Deterioration of the irrigation infrastructure, combined with drought and shortage of water supply, has left many of the water channels are empty. Extraordinary measures are needed to re-establish what was once considered a robust agricultural community of 700 farms. Natik Joudi, who was an engineer for the Ministry of Irrigation in the mid-seventies and now works with the Provincial Reconstruction Team, explained that the long-time agricultural region was famous for its grains and orchards and populated by farmers who have handed down their land for generations. The project will preserve the region’s rich agriculture and traditional way of life.
Tatweer advisors, in cooperation with their counterparts at the MoWR and the MoA, helped initiate a field survey and conditional assessment of all the irrigation systems serving the South Rashidiya area. This recently completed survey was conducted by 40 technical staff representatives from the MoWR and the MoA. Trained staff from the MoWR, with assistance from MoA technicians, will utilize an existing Geographic Information System provided under a previous US donor project to process the data gathered by the field survey. The end result will be a report that will clearly identify the maintenance and capital reconstruction effort required to return irrigation water to the area and include capital rehabilitation requirements for South Rashidiya in the MoWR 2009 Budget.
Although the river’s low water flow and the slow deterioration of the area’s irrigation systems are of primary concern, power shortages do have an impact. Currently, power shortages don’t allow the canal pumps to keep a consistent enough flow to prevent stagnation in some of the canals, but Iraqi engineers proposed a solution for their ministerial counterparts. “Any way you look at it, there is a need for more electricity,” Robert Kirkman, advisor to the MoWR said. “I’m encouraged there’s a design for getting new pumps and more electrical supply. It seems to me we’re close to solving this!” The Ministry of Electricity (MoE) has now joined the partnership and will provide a “dedicated service” of uninterrupted electricity to keep the canal pumps operational despite reduced water levels.
The intent is for future surveys to be conducted by the MoWR and the MoA without help from Tatweer, INMA, or the Provincial Reconstruction Team, eventually leading to a complete survey of all the irrigation systems and agricultural land throughout Iraq. Once this has been achieved, the GoI will be able to accurately evaluate the supply and demand requirements for water resources. This information will carry forward at the national level, and will provide the GoI with a firm basis for negotiating utilization of water resources with its neighbors. In addition, the MoA will be able to accurately monitor and assess crop production vs. market demand, and introduce programs for pesticide distribution, crop rotation methods, and best irrigation practices.
The problems with South Rashidiya irrigation systems are not new. Water used to flow freely in the area’s agricultural canals, serving 4,000 hectares. Deterioration of the irrigation infrastructure, combined with drought and shortage of water supply, has left many of the water channels are empty. Extraordinary measures are needed to re-establish what was once considered a robust agricultural community of 700 farms. Natik Joudi, who was an engineer for the Ministry of Irrigation in the mid-seventies and now works with the Provincial Reconstruction Team, explained that the long-time agricultural region was famous for its grains and orchards and populated by farmers who have handed down their land for generations. The project will preserve the region’s rich agriculture and traditional way of life.
Tatweer advisors, in cooperation with their counterparts at the MoWR and the MoA, helped initiate a field survey and conditional assessment of all the irrigation systems serving the South Rashidiya area. This recently completed survey was conducted by 40 technical staff representatives from the MoWR and the MoA. Trained staff from the MoWR, with assistance from MoA technicians, will utilize an existing Geographic Information System provided under a previous US donor project to process the data gathered by the field survey. The end result will be a report that will clearly identify the maintenance and capital reconstruction effort required to return irrigation water to the area and include capital rehabilitation requirements for South Rashidiya in the MoWR 2009 Budget.
Although the river’s low water flow and the slow deterioration of the area’s irrigation systems are of primary concern, power shortages do have an impact. Currently, power shortages don’t allow the canal pumps to keep a consistent enough flow to prevent stagnation in some of the canals, but Iraqi engineers proposed a solution for their ministerial counterparts. “Any way you look at it, there is a need for more electricity,” Robert Kirkman, advisor to the MoWR said. “I’m encouraged there’s a design for getting new pumps and more electrical supply. It seems to me we’re close to solving this!” The Ministry of Electricity (MoE) has now joined the partnership and will provide a “dedicated service” of uninterrupted electricity to keep the canal pumps operational despite reduced water levels.
The intent is for future surveys to be conducted by the MoWR and the MoA without help from Tatweer, INMA, or the Provincial Reconstruction Team, eventually leading to a complete survey of all the irrigation systems and agricultural land throughout Iraq. Once this has been achieved, the GoI will be able to accurately evaluate the supply and demand requirements for water resources. This information will carry forward at the national level, and will provide the GoI with a firm basis for negotiating utilization of water resources with its neighbors. In addition, the MoA will be able to accurately monitor and assess crop production vs. market demand, and introduce programs for pesticide distribution, crop rotation methods, and best irrigation practices.
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