The first five associations filed the sets of documents needed to initiate the procedure for registering with the Monitoring and Supervision Unit of the Irrigation Water Users Associations. They form part of the irrigation systems Lopatna, Criuleni, Grozesti, Blindesti and Roscana, which were founded with the support of the Compact Program that is financed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Info-Prim Neo reports. Valentina Badrajan, director of the Moldova Millennium Challenge Fund, said that in accordance with the Compact Program there will be set up 11 Irrigation Water Users Associations that will manage an area of 15,000 hectares. These associations will take over the irrigation systems that will be rehabilitated and modernized through Compact so as to supply the agricultural producers with water, depending on their necessities. “The assistance provided by the Millennium Challenge Fund is the largest in this area. That’s why the responsibility for successfully implementing the provisions of the Compact Program, including as regards ensuring the transition to modern agriculture by rehabilitating the irrigation systems, must be as large,” said Valentina Badrajan. Alexandru Gavrilovich, head of the Monitoring and Supervision Unit, said the process of registering the Irrigation Water Users Associations will close in April 2012 with the taking over of the rehabilitated irrigation systems. The Unit will monitor the process and ensure the technical supervision of the irrigation systems transferred to the Irrigation Water Users Associations. Mihai Cojocaru, chairman of the Constitution Council of the Criuleni Irrigation Water Users Association, said the association includes farmers from Criuleni and Slobizia-Dusca. They own 573 hectares on which they will grow cherries, plums and apricots. Farmers from other settlements asked the association to provide them with water for cultivating 200 hectares of land. “The transfer of the irrigation systems from Moldova’s Water Agency to the Irrigation Water Users Associations will lead to a significant improvement as we are interested in performing the works at the highest level. It is our land and we want the results of our work to be appropriate,” said Mihai Cojocaru. Leslie McCuaig, the representative of the Millennium Challenge Corporation in Moldova, said the rehabilitation of the irrigation systems through the Compact Program means not only the replacement of the pipes, but also a better future for Moldova’s agriculture and the country in general. The creation of the Irrigation Water Users Associations and other activities aimed at reforming the irrigation sector described in the US$262 million Compact are implemented by Euroconsult Mott MacDonald in partnership with two international companies, from the U.S. and Belgium, and the NGO BIOS and the National Rural Development Association ACSA.