LAC ALAOTRA II IRRIG

closed

The 5-year Lac Alaotra Rice Intensification Project will aim at increasing rice production and the marketed surplus in the Lac Alaotra region, thereby saving foreign exchange expenditures on rice imports. This will be achieved mainly through the rehabilitation of existing irrigation infrastructure, the supply of farm inputs, and management and institutional technical assistance. The main project components include: (a) the rehabilitation of existing "modern" irrigation networks on about 25,000 hectares; and the improvement of water availability on traditional schemes, on about 3,000 hectares; (b) the production of improved seeds and provision of agricultural equipment and inputs to the whole Lac Alaotra basin (about 68,000 hectares); (c) the reinforcement of SOMALAC, the regional development company responsible for agricultural development in the project area through material support, technical assistance and training; (d) assistance to the agriculture extension services (CVA) of the Ministry of Agricultural Production and Agrarian Reform (MPARA), including the provision of vehicles and equipment, training and construction of a central warehouse; (e) the establishment of a network of gauging stations; (f) pilot activities aimed at increasing agricultural production.