Constraints to sustainable, efficient, and resilient irrigation systems in GEORGIA What is a possible way forward? Conditions for a modern and well performing irrigation sector R egulatory environment is well defined and adapted with clear laws governing the use of irrigation services: a stable set of principles and shared long term goals; a policy and legal arsenal that serves sustainable performance; a good information system on water and agriculture; a clear definition of key function for irrigation management, a clear leadership. SERVICE PROVIDER able to perform a service: SUSTAINABLE: RELIABLE: with regular operation and irrigation water service is delivered maintenance. Infrastructures remains on a timely and reliable basis, water functional over time, adapted to different resources are adequate, infrastructures types of farming systems; climate risks, are adapted to the needs and in good environmental and social issues are state, water delivery service meets the considered, impact on public finance demand; financial and human resources remains reasonable. are sufficient. GEL FARMERS • are competent to practice irrigation and develop irrigated agriculture CAPACITY & WILLINGNESS • participate to governance to pay the fee • derive economic and social benefits C0. Slow implementation of the irrigation strategy C1. Limited knowledge and data on water resources and farming systems for I&D development C2. Irrigation planning lacks an IWRM approach for sound irrigation management C3. Need to improve reliability of irrigation services CONSTRAINTS and service delivery systems C4. Accelerate Water User Organization (WUO) establishment C5. Finalize reform of the irrigation tariff GEL C6. Need to establish advanced irrigation performance monitoring systems & processes C7. Increase the human resources for irrigation and drainage development C8. Address gaps in policy coordination and encourage champions at all scales to accelerate irrigation performance T hese constraints make it difficult to achieve all objectives of the strategy, but broadly, they do not allow the conditions for efficient and resilient irrigated agriculture to be met. Specifically, the following gaps are contributing to these constraints: • Georgian amelioration (GA) has limited • Limited number of farmers willing to sign capacity to deliver irrigation services to irrigation contracts with GA or willing to join water users in a timely and operationally Water User Organizations as there is need to efficient manner, the reform of its governance better take into account their requirements structure is yet to be agreed by higher levels when providing irrigation services. of government, and the regulation role by the • Farmers face increasing production losses Georgian National Energy and Water Supply without more reliable irrigation services Regulatory Commission (GNERC) for the due to climate risks such as increasing irrigation sector, will only commence in 2023. GAPS temperatures and variable rainfall levels. • The WUO law is adopted, GA has • Without sound irrigation planning and successfully established a WUO support allocation to manage climate risks, limited unit, but establishment of WUOs is water supplies result in the inability of GA to delayed resulting in low tariff collection rates, irrigate agreed command areas according to deteriorated tertiary irrigation systems, and the needs of farmers. limited irrigation water supply to farm fields. • More emphasis on rehabilitation of the • Limited willingness of water users to pay main systems as well as the secondary and a higher irrigation tariff without significant tertiary systems is needed as without this, improvement in the service quality, leading it results in limited irrigation water supply to a vicious cycle of limited recovery of to farm fields as secondary and tertiary O&M costs by GA, increased reliance on systems are neglected without clear criteria for state funds for GA operational activities, prioritization of irrigation rehabilitation and deterioration of irrigation schemes, which modernization. were recently upgraded. What is a possible way forward? 7 strategic themes HOLISTIC APPROACH In any irrigation and drainage investment project, the needs of the surrounding environment, including economic, social, and ecological factors can be studied beforehand so that the effect of the planned investments can be anticipated and its design adjusted if necessary. Any project or intervention may aim to meet a clearly identified need, based on reliable and up-to-date data. WATER USERS ORGANISATION Water User Organizations can be PILOT APPROACHES established, in relevant irrigated Pilot approaches need to be implemented command areas, once the necessary to identify lessons, success and failure enabling conditions for their factors, as well as externalities. This implies establishment are present. the need for relevant and effective monitoring Where the technical, hydrological, economic, and evaluation systems. and social conditions are not met, other modalities for irrigation service delivery to farmers can be considered, including the possibility of individual contracts between water users and Georgian Amelioration or the involvement of Municipalities. CUSTOMER SERVICE DIALOGUE APPROACH Intra and inter-sectoral dialogue needs to be improved and the conditions for Georgian Amelioration can be further strong leadership to flourish at all scales modernized by focusing on accountability, need to be built. performance-driven with a customer service approach equipped with modern tools for measuring, monitoring, and analyzing irrigation and drainage services, as well as managing FINANCIAL RESOURCES climate risks to water availability. Adequate financing for operation and maintenance, scheme specific and based on asset management, is necessary to ensure the sustainability of the irrigation sector. WAY TO GO! HUMAN RESOURCES ACTIONS The human resources of the irrigation sector need to be strengthened to allow for both a real implementation of the activities and a generational renewal with the skillsets to meet the demands of irrigation services of the future. Roadmap SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS (2 YEARS) 1. Carry out a service delivery performance 3. Define a typology of water users and improve the assessment of Georgian Amelioration and understanding of farmers, on-farm practices and formulate an action plan to make Georgian water use and cropping needs. Amelioration more customer oriented, accountable, reliable, efficient, and financially 4. Design, calculate, begin introducing an appropriate sustainable. local or regional binary bulk irrigation tariff. 2. Prioritize investments by means of an irrigation 5. Strengthen cooperation with higher education and drainage master planning. institutions and the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia to increase specialist graduates for recruitment in key water sector agencies in the Georgian government. 6. Scale and sustain recent recruitments of regional WUO support staff to lead WUO establishment processes with annual budgetary support for long- term sustainability where schemes are going to be rehabilitated and where water users express the willingness to self-organize and contribute to WUO establishment. MEDIUM-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS (5+ YEARS) 1. Invest in a robust Hydro-Agro informatics program for integrated monitoring of water and agriculture and set up a Hydro-Agro Informatic Center. 2. Strengthen MEPA’s capacities, through training and recruitment of skilled staff as a continuous process based on needs, to lead the implementation of the irrigation strategy. 3. Strengthen institutional mechanisms and find new ways to improve intra and inter sectoral dialogue.