Albania Irrigation Rehabilitation Project

in the Context of Community Driven Development

WUAs in Albania

• Established in 1994 • Manages Entire Irrigation Schemes

– From Primary to On-Farm• Self Financing (no subsidies) • 408 WUAs, 21 Federations covering

180,000 ha, 200,000 families (1/3 of total population)

A Head Work

A Primary Canal

A Secondary Canal

A Field Application

WUAs

• Democratic Organization to Manage Irrigation Facilities

(200 - 2000 hectares)• involves 3-15+ villages• Responsible for O&M for Irrigation• Participate in Design/Supervision on

Rehabilitation

General Meeting

Election

Impact

• Better Management -> More Irrigated Area• Better Coordination among farmers -> Delivery to the Tail End• Cost Recovery Increased from $0 (1994) to $ 700,000 (2000)

Factors Contributing to Success

�Setting

�Approach

�Institutional Support

Setting

Government is extremely weak

Farmers do not trust the Government

Irrigation is critical for agriculture

Approach Community Initiative and Ownership

Gradual Empowerment (Learning by Doing)

village -> hydraulic based -> federation (50 ha) (300-500 ha) (6,000 ha+)

Try or Die (26 percent of WUAs Defunct)

Institutional Support

Political CommitmentCommitted PMU technical assistance, prevention from political

manipulation, and supervision

Bank - Frequent SupervisionAppropriate Legal Framework

Outstanding Issues

WUAsDeferred MaintenanceWeak Administrative SkillsPolitical Involvement

MembersLack of Interest as WUAs get bigger

PMULong-term institution to support WUAs

Recent Actions

• Systematic Training through a university• Financial Audit and Publication of the Results• Monitoring of Election• Strengthening Internal Control• PMU being transformed into National

Association of WUAs

Irrigation has some recreational values for communities..

Thank you very much