By
Catharien Terwisscha van
Scheltinga
Alterra-ILRI, Wageningen, The
Netherlands
and
Olga Zovtonog
Institute for
Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation of the Ukrainian Academy of Agrarian
Science, Kiev, Ukraine
ABSTRACT
In Ukraine society’s general transition to a market economy, and the related agricultural reforms, has resulted in the need for profound institutional changes as well as the development of new policy and legislation on water and land management. Traditional management of large-scale irrigation systems is no longer effective under the current conditions of land privatization and reduction in government support.
Irrigated agriculture in Ukraine was developed in the framework of large-scale farms of around 5 000 ha operated by the state or rural community organizations (kolchoz). Under the new system, many new types of farm organization have appeared, including large-scale private ownership, shareholder companies, cooperative ownership or smaller family farms. Therefore, for the above-mentioned reasons, institutional organizations and infrastructure need to change to achieve profitability of farms today and in the future. It is foreseen that the farming system will stabilize, while taking on new forms in the future.
During this process, the main priority for the Ukrainian Government is to protect existing irrigation infrastructure, to halt system deterioration, and, in this way, avoid huge investments in the future. New knowledge and capacity development are necessary in achieving this goal. In so far as international projects can be one of the driving forces for development.
As an example, the Watermuk Project is a collaboration between Ukraine and The Netherlands. Initially it is a technically oriented research project in the irrigation sector. Later it will broaden its orientation to include socio-economic issues and action planning. First, the Project focussed on monitoring irrigation performance using remote sensing, crop modelling and field observations. The objective was to identify priority areas for investment in irrigation infrastructure.
It was concluded (2001-2004) that the potential for irrigated agriculture is good. The Project found that bad irrigation performance is not only a technical problem but also socio-economic. The situation is complex: with an economy in transition, land privatization and the shift to a market oriented economy, the related institutional problems, lack of knowledge and limited investment in irrigated agriculture have slowed the pace of reform.
The Watermuk Project found that capacity development is essential at all levels: from human resource development, farmers, the private sector, government staff through to institutional strengthening, e.g. development and strengthening of water user associations and government in order to implement new tasks, policy and legislative issues.
Specific areas for capacity development are:
INTRODUCTION
Ukraine underwent a rapid change when the country gained its independence from the collapsing Soviet Union in late 1991, at this time the gross domestic product (GDP) fell.
Overall, the economy depends on heavy industry and agriculture. Because of the rich soil, agriculture accounts for a large percentage of the GDP (14 percent in 2002, World Development Indicators) and an even greater share of the country’s employment. For this reason, Ukraine's economy is dependent on the fortunes of the agricultural sector.
In the past agricultural products were distributed throughout the Soviet Union, with the overhaul of the system the economy was suddenly supposed to shift to a market oriented system with the related efficient production system. Maintenance costs were supposed to be paid out of the income from sale of agricultural products. However, at this time, such a system does not exist, as it still has to develop. Meanwhile, maintenance of the existing system has been poor and the infrastructure has deteriorated. This has resulted in less area under irrigation resulting in lower production, less income, etc. In the new socio-economic circumstances irrigation management, transfer and re-orientation of irrigated agriculture towards Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) are needed to provide sustainable agriculture in south Ukraine.
IRRIGATED AGRICULTURE IN THE UKRAINE
Ukraine has a high potential for agriculture: highly fertile soils and favourable climatic conditions for many crops (cereals, maize, alfalfa, soybean, sugar-beet, grapes, vegetables, fruits, rice, etc.). The greatest natural constraint to agriculture is insufficient water in southern Ukraine. In 1960-1980 large-scale irrigation and drainage systems were constructed on 2.6 million ha to provide food security and water supply.
The large-scale technically advanced irrigation systems were designed and constructed to irrigate large fields (50-200 ha) on state or kolchoz-operated farms (2 000-4 000 ha). The central planning concept dominated irrigation management and decisions were taken at a high-level far away in Kiev and Moscow. Water was pumped over large distances and crops grew under sprinkler irrigation.
Completion of the irrigation systems changed land use. More crops were possible annually, roads were constructed and land became state or collective property. Voluntary and forced migration to these areas began. The new farms produced crops based on predetermined plans and quotas and the harvest was transported to other parts of the Soviet Union. Inputs were imported. The irrigation systems in southern Ukraine were part of a larger food production system, which was centrally organized from Moscow.
By 1992, water withdrawal was estimated at 7.8 km3 for agricultural purposes. During 1985-1992 total water withdrawn for agriculture declined by 2 km3 and for industry by 3 km3. A reduction in irrigated area was caused by a lack of fuel and spare parts for pumps, a decline in animal husbandry and the fall in industrial production caused by the difficult post-independence economic situation (FAO, Aquastat, 1997).
By 1998, agriculture had fallen to 14 percent of GDP; by 2002, it was 15 percent of GDP (World Bank data, http://devdata.worldbank.org/data-query).
A new way needed to be found for farming within the new government system. Today, various forms of farm holdings are possible, including large-scale with private ownership or cooperative ownership or small-scale, with smaller landholdings. However, the institutional set-up and infrastructure needs to be changed accordingly. Investigations carried out by the Dutch-Ukrainian project Watermuk (Pavlov, 2004) indicate how lack of capacity to deal with the changed situation is felt in the case of the Northern Crimean Canal NCC irrigation system in south Ukraine, where the main source of water is the river Dnieper.
‘The dramatic changes in political, economical and environmental circumstances in Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union created different problems in irrigation management. One of the problems is how irrigation management should adapt to these changes. It is not clear how water management in the NCC irrigation system is functioning. The tasks, responsibilities and integration of different institutions dealing with water management have to be analysed. For the purpose of working out plans for development of sustainable agriculture and integrated water management, a description and analysis of the current water management practices on a district level is needed.’(Pavlov, 2004).
THE WATERMUK PROJECT
The Watermuk Project, is a collaboration between the Ukraine Institute for Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation (IHELR) and The Netherlands Institute Alterra, part of Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR), is a technically oriented research project in the irrigation sector. It focuses on monitoring irrigation performance through remote sensing, crop modelling and field observations with the objective of identifying priority areas for investment in irrigation infrastructure.
The objectives of the project are:
The project activities are split into nine Work Packages (WP), dealing with specific groups of problems at the farm, district and national level. The project analyses the present status of the irrigation system in the area of Crimea in south Ukraine, the Northern Crimean Canal (NCC) system and problems in the agricultural sector. Privatization of the large government farms means that infrastructure no longer meets the needs of farmers. The scale of the irrigation infrastructure (pivot system) is inappropriate for the institutional arrangements for irrigation on smaller farms. Privatization of farms requires new land ownership and institutional arrangements for water management and the creation of new market possibilities for farmers. In addition, there is a lack of extension and entrepreneurial skills.
The above-mentioned problems are related to agriculture. For irrigation, specifically, there is the problem of high-energy costs, only one-third was charged directly to farmers, which has already caused payment problems. Moreover, apart from the scale of irrigation infrastructure, there is the problem of its condition, as it has not been well maintained and is in need of repair. This has resulted in a switch to rainfed cropping for a number of farmers, with under-utilization of the irrigation equipment. The problem tree for farm and district level is shown in Figure 5.1.
The conclusions (2001-2004) of the Watermuk Project are that there is a high potential for irrigated agriculture, which are linked to a cost benefit analysis (Hellegers and Roerink, 2003). Simulation shows that an increase is possible of up to twice the yield with improved crop and water management (Roerink, 2002).
The decline in irrigation performance appears to be both a technical and a socio-economic problem. Water is not the limiting factor, as at this time there is enough. The challenge to IWRM is to use the water economically, efficiently and in an environmentally sustainable manner.
Figure 5.1 Problem tree ‘Unsustainable irrigation management’
Note: IS Irrigation structure
THE NEED FOR CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT
Capacity development may be defined as the sum of efforts required to nurture, enhance and utilize the skills and capabilities of people and institutions at all levels - locally, nationally, regionally and internationally - so that they can better progress towards sustainable development (UNDP/FAO, forthcoming, Kay and Terwisscha van Scheltinga, GRID-Newsletter, 2004).
Three levels of capacity development - individuals, organizations and an enabling environment may be identified:
The levels are clearly linked. For example, society (laws, regulations) shapes the organization of water users as much as individuals (skills, leadership, relationships). However, they provide a structure that allows capacity development to be examined and analysed and provides possible entry points for support from donors and technical cooperation.
In the Ukraine, primarily the focus is on irrigation infrastructure. However, the Watermuk Project, has shown that capacity development is essential to deal with the changing situation. There is a need for capacity to deal with irrigated agriculture in a new institutional setting. Moreover, more attention needs to be given to the sustainable use of the water allocation. Aside from agricultural production, the implementation side, water managers and policy-makers, need to place their attention on ecologically vulnerable areas such as the Shivash nature reserve (hypersaline area, migratory birds).
The levels of capacity development are shown below and are defined as human resource development and institutional strengthening. Policy and legislation issues come under the broader enabling environment:
Human resource development: Farmers, researchers, extension staff, water managers, policy-makers and those involved in education in water management need insight in how to use water in a sustainable manner. This requires training of various groups at different levels.
Institutional strengthening: Support is required for the creation and strengthening of water user associations and the restructuring district water management departments. The new tasks need to become part of the government staff work package. Perhaps the government structure needs to be modified and an extension programme developed.
Enabling environment: New laws and policies will be required to facilitate the new methods of land and water use, including land ownership, water allocation, etc.
New tools and skills are needed for capacity building. In the Watermuk Project practical ways have been identified with the involvement of the different stakeholders to address the issue of capacity development. This will be an integrated approach with simultaneous action at all levels, with no pre-determined solutions. There will be public-private partnerships and the development of training opportunities.
I. Integrated approach for simultaneous actions on all levels
On all levels, national, regional and local, integrated, simultaneous actions are undertaken. Steering Committees and working groups on specific issues have been created accordingly on government and district levels.
At the district level, three working groups on extension, integrated water management and farmers’ organizations have collaborated with shareholders in Djankoy district. The groups’ tasks included involvement of shareholders in decision-making and reaching a consensus on the establishment of new institutions that should be established in such a way as to be sustainable in the future. Work meetings, workshops and interviews were used to disseminate the results of research, exchange international experiences and take decisions on the best options for organizations. For example, the WUA boards, their responsibilities and the specific training for business planning was implemented in the extension-working group. Publications and a study tour to The Netherlands played supporting roles in the process of knowledge dissemination.
At the government level, in Kiev and Simferopol round tables and steering committee meetings have been organized. Coordination and adjustment of the existing national policy and legislation in water and land management with the new institutional developments proposed by the project were included on the agenda of these meetings.
At the international level, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Dutch and Ukrainian Governments. The establishment of a top-level bilateral panel to discuss water management issues is under consideration for the future. An international NGO on land and water management issues was established to support the transformation process in irrigation and drainage and to facilitate the development of integrated projects on rural development for sustainable agriculture and environment.
International collaboration within the activities of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) has proven helpful in the gathering and exchange of knowledge and experiences concerning the changing situation and the development of new project initiatives.
II. No pre-determined solutions
One of the principles of capacity building in Ukraine is that there are no pre-determined solutions. There are no ready-made decisions concerning new options for irrigation management transfer models that can be used directly from international experience. In this regard, collaboration between shareholders in Ukraine and international experts plays an important role. Based on collaborative work, new possibilities for working and decision-making are elaborated and tested, so that the most appropriate changes for the circumstances found in Ukrainian can be made. Creation of twinning collaboration between organizations in Ukraine and The Netherlands based on respect, trust and mutual commitment are proving helpful.
III. Public-private partnership
Public-private partnerships are encouraged for the implementation stage of irrigation management transfer. Private consulting firms should collaborate on implementation projects for business development, coordinate investment projects and be involved in the provision of information and the dissemination of knowledge.
IV. Development of new training opportunities at all levels
Training opportunities at all levels should be developed for farmers, researchers, extension staff, water managers, policy-makers and those involved in education in water management to enable them to gain an insight into the sustainable use of water. In addition, training should focus on fostering profitability of agriculture, achievement of appropriate policies and legislation on land and water, and provision of research and education facilities in this field to support agricultural development.
Training opportunities could include formal and informal training courses, on-the-job-training, study tours, participation in international events, Internet conferences, etc. The organizational learning process within specific projects is another important and appreciated opportunity for capacity building.
CONCLUSIONS
Capacity development is essential to the facilitation of irrigated agriculture in Ukraine and to contribute to the country’s development. However, the situation is complex and development is not dependent on changes in irrigated agriculture alone. Economic transition includes land privatization and the shift to a market orientation, all related institutional problems and required changes limit investment in irrigated agriculture, which in turn slows the pace of change.
To facilitate the reform process, new tools and approaches for capacity building are being worked out within the framework of the Dutch-Ukrainian Project Watermuk. This includes integrated action plans at all levels, special arrangements to provide participation of shareholders and new tools for the dissemination of knowledge and development. International collaboration plays an important role in all these developments.
Further progress may be made in the process of capacity development for irrigated agriculture in Ukraine through the creation and strengthening of water user associations and district water management departments, provision of training and extension to farmers and provision of support to government staff in their role of advisers to farmers on water management and farm management.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This paper has been prepared in the framework of the project ‘Capacity Building’, as part of the international water programme of the Ministry of Agriculture of The Netherlands (DWK407). Many thanks are extended to all the Watermuk Project staff. A special acknowledgement is made of the input and support provided by Koen Roest and Gerbert Roerink of Alterra. The collaboration of Melvyn Kay, FAO, IPTRID and the ICID Working Group on Capacity Building Training and Extension is gratefully acknowledged. |
REFERENCES
FAO. 1997. Aquastat, on Internet: http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/aglw/aquastat/countries/ukraine/index.stm
FAO/ICID. 2004. Proceedings of the workshop on capacity development in Montpellier. September 2003, forthcoming.
Hellegers, P. & Roerink, G. 2003. The price, costs and value of irrigation water in Crimea. Paper prepared within the framework of the Watermuk Project.
Kay, M. & Terwisscha van Scheltinga, C. 2003. Towards sustainable irrigation and drainage through capacity building. Paper No. 128. Presented at the Ninth International Drainage Workshop, September 10-13, 2003, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Kay, M. & Terwisscha van Scheltinga, C. 2004. Developing capacity for irrigation and drainage, GRID-newsletter, forthcoming.
Kovalenko, P., Zhovtonog, O., Roerink, G. & Roest, K. 2003. Getting over the conflicts in irrigation management transfer in Ukraine. http://afeid.montpellier.cemagref.fr/Mpl2003/Conf/Kovalenko.pdf
Pavlov, S.S. 2004. Analysis of the irrigation management institutions in North Crimea canal system, Ukraine, Wageningen University, Irrigation and Water Engineering Group, 2004. (M.Sc. thesis)
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