125,000 ha of irrigation networks will be rehabilitated and 58,000 ha of new networks will be built by 2015

During the first implementation stage of the irrigation networks rehabilitation and extension programme for 2008-2015, the main tasks will be to restore the 125,000 ha of irrigation networks that exist at present and to build 58,000 ha of new irrigation networks as well as to extend the irrigation areas from local water sources (the so-called “small-irrigation”). The statement was made by President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin at the joint meeting of the Boards of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and of Moldova’s Water Agency, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting the presidential press service. The head of state said that the irrigated fields will thus total about 200,000 ha. He specified that the irrigated areas would be extended to 450,000-500,000 ha by 2025. Vladimir Voronin highlighted the importance of hastening the process of creating technological irrigation stations instead of the existing repair and exploitation companies subordinated to Moldova’s Water Agency and outfitting them with modern irrigation equipment. The given stations must ensure the full water pumping cycle – from the pumping station to the irrigated crop, the president said. According to the chief of state, the excessive parcelling of the agricultural land is a hindrance to extending the irrigation networks in Moldova. He said that a solution to the given problem would be to create territorial associations of water users that would be provided with specialised services by irrigation stations under contract. Vladimir Voronin put up the proposal to work out a model-contract for providing irrigation services and the charges for land irrigation. The president instructed the officials in charge to draft a plan of action for implementing the first stage of the irrigation networks rehabilitation and extension programme for the next two-three years and submit it to the Government for approval. The plan should include the persons responsible for the planned activities and the financial resources needed to implement the programme.