Mauritania - West Brakna Irrigation Scheme Project

The project concerns the West Brakna area located on the right bank of River Senegal, downstream from Boghé. In fact, confronted with random and insufficient productions due to climatic hazards and drought, the Brakna West zone constitutes an area of extreme poverty. The project is in line with the integrated irrigated agricultural development programme aimed at revitalizing farming activities in the River Senegal valley. It aims at the rehabilitation of 3,400 ha of basins suitable for flood recession crop cultivation with the cleansing of the water supply channels. Some forty vegetable growing blocks tended by women and totaling 110 ha. will be rehabilitated. The envisaged support to land development will translate into measures to guarantee quality production and ensure optimal management of production systems. To this end, the project will build the capacities of farmer organizations and provide agricultural advisory services in the area of crop production and farm management. The main components are as follows: (A) Irrigation schemes, (B) Development, and (C) Project Management. The five-year project will be executed for a total, excluding taxes and customs duties, estimated at UA 5.06 billion, or UA 12.83 million. This package will lead to a substantial increase in agricultural production and contribute to poverty alleviation as well as improve food security.