Natural Resources Management and Irrigation Development Project

closed

The main objective of the project is to develop and implement a soil and water management strategy. The latter would target irrigation development as a way to increase, diversity, and sustain agricultural output and exports. The first component, natural resource management, comprises: (i) pilot development schemes in micro-catchment areas of the Santa Lucia River Basin; (ii) demonstration farms in selected agro-ecological areas suffering soil degradation and erosion problems; (iii) a geographical information system to provide the groundwork for improved land use classification and management; (iv) applied research and technology transfer activities focussed on modern techniques of soil and water management; (v) special studies; (vi) strengthening of policy planning, evaluation, and monitoring capacity at the level; and (vii) technical assistance for forestry development. The second component, irrigation development, comprises: (i) the rehabilitation and modernization of existing public irrigation and drainage (I&D) schemes; (ii) construction of new medium-size collective irrigation and drainage schemes for the benefit of user groups; (iii) construction of selected small farmer irrigation infrastructure; (iv) water harvesting pilot program at the farm level to help develop an optimal surface water use strategy; and (v) technical assistance for feasibility studies of irrigation investment projects, and for production, processing, and marketing of non-traditional export products.