EU €20 million grant will help improve water resource management

08 December 2017
EU €20 million grant will help improve water resource management
Farmers plough the land with buffaloes in Nay Pyi Taw. Photo: Hein Htet/EPA

A new European Union grant of €20 million will help improve water resource management and the productivity of the agricultural sector in Myanmar's central dry zone, according to a statement from the body.
The ‘Irrigated Agriculture Inclusive Development Project’ (IAIDP) aims to improve living conditions and incomes of rural communities in the central dry zone. The €20 million grant will be used to build the capacities of farmers in increasing the efficiency of irrigation networks, better manage water resources, apply environmentally friendly agricultural practices and diversify agricultural production on 90,000 acres of land in the area. Over the next seven years, the project will support the Myanmar Irrigation and Water Utilization Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation in reaching these goals.
In addition to this EU grant, the project is co-financed by the French Development Agency, the Asian Development Bank and the Myanmar government. The grant is provided by the European Union through its Asia Investment Facility (AIF), which is a regional blending facility focused on climate change and green investments.