Creation of an Irrigation Advisory Service (IAS)

In order to lay the ground for an improved functioning of administrative structure for irrigation and drainage in the future, it is advisable to establish a body that will work towards better inter-agency coordination between different Iraqi line ministries, particularly between MoWR and MoA. The agency will have an overall objective of working towards improved efficiency of water use in the irrigation sector and overall increased efficiency of the agricultural production. At the beginning, the agency could operate on a pilot scale, e.g. focus on implementing on-farm modernized irrigation system in the demonstration areas and/or implementation of modernisation programme for off-farm irrigation and drainage facilities. IAS role would not be limited only to the implementation of improved physical infrastructure, but also could be used to identify and pilot new institutional arrangements in the sector such as establishment of pilot water user associations (WUAs) in the project demonstration areas. Naturally, institutional changes take place only in a longer term and should not be introduced without thorough analyses and preparations, but the initial phase of irrigation system improvement programme gives favourable conditions for identifying and testing new institutional scenarios.

Often introduction of more effective irrigation technologies and techniques as well as rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage facilities per se, does not improve significantly the efficiency of water use and overall agricultural production. The key is