USAID to provide up to 36.6 mln hryvni in sub-grants for pilot projects of Ukrainian water users in Odessa, Cherkassy regions - Agrarian Policy Ministry

MOSCOW. Oct 26 (Interfax) - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) program for agricultural and rural development intends to select two water user organizations in the Odessa and Cherkassy regions to implement two pilot projects to restore or upgrade the irrigation systems they use.

As the Ukrainian media reported citing the website of the Ukrainian Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food on Wednesday, the USAID is accepting the concepts of the projects for sub-grants from the water user organizations until November 30. Based on the results of their review, up to 36.6 million hryvni (up to 18.3 million hryvni per sub-grant to one water user organization) will be allocated to the winners of the contest.

"The purpose of these sub-grants is to promote the process of the land reform, facilitate innovations in irrigation, expand the rights and opportunities for land and water users, help them introduce modern irrigation through the introduction of new technologies and irrigation automation, purchase and install power and water-saving equipment to cut water losses, reduce energy consumption and preserve soil fertility," the ministry said in its message.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy noted that the Odessa and Cherkassy regions had been selected for the pilot projects, as the irrigation systems there require renovation or retrofit.

Meanwhile, a water user organization applying for a sub-grant should cultivate not less than 200 hectares and prove its ability to finance not less than 30% of the requested budget of a sub-grant project.

The Ministry of Agrarian Policy noted that the USAID plans to provide funding for the following activities: retrofit of pumping stations; purchase/replacement of sprinkler equipment; construction of drip irrigation infrastructure; installation of water metering system; replacement of irrigation pipelines; conducting anti-filtration measures on open canals; purchase of equipment for maintenance of the irrigation network; installation of a irrigation remote control or soil moisture monitoring system; construction of an irrigation system for greenhouses; and the installation of a sprinkler irrigation system for the garden.