In Moldova there are 78 irrigation systems and these were all built in the Soviet period. Of these, only ten were rehabilitated and modernized during the past ten years though the Compact program implemented in Moldova since 2010 with the financial support of the U.S. Government. In a response to an inquiry made by IPN Agency, Moldova’s Water Agency says the other 68 irrigation systems, even if they are old, are functional. But their technical state is unsatisfactory. They have a low output and consume a lot of electricity.
Seventeen irrigation systems were built in 1963 – 1976. The others were installed after the 1980s.The irrigation system in Blindesti village of Ungheni district was nonfunctional before it was rehabilitated within the Compact program. The other rehabilitated systems were functional, but their technical state was unsatisfactory. Most of the irrigation systems are installed in regions where there is a water supply source and the business entities have a higher yield per hectare there.
Contacted by IPN, economic expert Viorel Chivriga said the 78 irrigation systems were installed on areas that vary between 130 and 690 ha and most of these are worn-out. Statistics show less than 10% of the farmland is irrigated. The existence of irrigation systems does not mean that the areas covered by these are irrigated. The plots are parceled out and belong to different owners.
According to Viorel Chivriga, it is vital for Moldovan agriculture to solve the problem of technical equipment of the sector, including to restore the irrigation systems, to modernize these and outfit the farmers with modern and safe irrigation equipment or the problems that periodically appear as a result of natural disasters will affect the economic activity of farmers in the future and will reduce their revenues.
The data presented by the expert show the most advantaged regions are those located near the main rivers on Moldova’s territory, the Prut and the Nistru. Asked if the Republic of Moldova can to cope if more irrigation systems are installed, Viorel Chivriga said that under the water supply and sanitation strategy for 2014-2028, almost 500 cubic meters of water or even less is available per inhabitant annually. This places Moldova in the category of countries were the volume of water is insufficient. The available water resources in Moldova is now a critical aspect that affects the country’s economic development capacity.
The expert noted that under the National Human Development Report, the available surface water resources in Moldova will diminish by 16-20% until 2020. This means the water supply safety will be in danger.
Viorel Chivriga said irrigation for Moldova is a problem of national interest. With an agriculture without output stimulating factors, such as irrigation, competiveness, higher incomes for people from rural areas and counteracting of risk factors in agriculture cannot be ensured. Cumulatively, these critical elements, together with the lack of investments in rural areas, contribute to the stagnation of development in rural areas.
