The assistance comprises a loan of US$ 23.6 million and grant of US$ 19.4 million. The assistance will be used in the first phase of modernizing the irrigation scheme located in Kailali in the Far Western Tarai Region.[break]
The scheme constitutes three traditional irrigation systems built, operated, and managed by generations of farmers, mainly belonging to the indigenous Tharu community.
According to a press statement, the first phase of the project will support the modernization of the irrigation system by substantially rehabilitating and upgrading the main and secondary irrigation and drainage systems and flood management infrastructure. It will also train the Water Users Associations to improve the ability of local people to manage the water and take care of the maintenance of the infrastructure.
The assistance will also be used to carry out a series of agricultural production support activities in the project area through demonstrations, farmers´ field schools and other adaptive processes.
“About 25,000 farming households comprising close to 160,000 people are expected to benefit directly from the project,” the statement quoted Ellen Goldstein, WB Country Director for Nepal, as saying. The project is believed to make the supply of water more reliable and help farmers better manage risks associated with droughts, floods and fluctuations in the availability of water during the agricultural seasons.
However, irrigation is only one input into agriculture, said Joop Stoutjesdijk, Lead Irrigation Engineer at the WB, pin pointing that it was equally important to develop appropriate cropping patterns and identify high value crops to ensure that farmers reap better returns from the project.
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