Irrigation in the Dominican Republic
According to the FAO, solutions should be sought in the use of better technology, efficient operation of irrigation systems and adequate means of financial support.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), irrigation development in the Dominican Republic started in the late 19th century, with the construction of the Juan Caballero, Luis Bogart and Santana canals and the Manzanillo Project.
IMTP aims at decentralizing operation and maintenance, and fee collection responsibilities among others to the Juntas de Regantes (Water Users Irrigation Boards - WUB).
According to the FAO, some of the achievements of IMTP includes: (i) reduced conflicts between the authority and water users, (ii) improved service, and (iii) higher fee collection (an increase from 20% of total charges, when managed by National Institute for Water Resources to almost 80% on their own).
The majority of which are located in the Valleys such as Cibao, Santiago Montecristi, Azua, San Juan de la Manguana, Neyba y Barahona as well as downstream Yuna and the eastern coastal area, in the provinces of Maria Trinidad Gracias y Altagracia respectively.
[1] Global climate change is expected to induce permanent climate shocks to the Caribbean region including sea level rise, higher surface air and sea temperatures, extreme weather events (such as tropical storms and hurricanes), increased rainfall intensity (leading to more frequent and severe flooding) and more frequent and severe "El Niño-like" conditions.
Demographic growth accelerated environmental degradation, deforestation, and lack of mitigation measures will intensify the impact of disasters in the future.
Presidential decrees and agreements between INDRHI and Water Users Association (Asociaciones de Regantes- WUA) have provided legal support for the Irrigation Management Transfer Program (IMTP) (see below).
This transfer policy has been financed largely by international resources in coordination with the 10 Department of Irrigation Districts, under INDRHI.
Finally, INDRHI collaborates with other sectoral institutions such as: (i) the State Secretariat for Agriculture and the Dominican Agriculture Institute, (ii) the Water Supply and Sanitation "Institute" INAPA, a utility operating in small towns and rural areas, and regional water and sanitation utilities in the cities of Santo Domingo, Santiago, Moca, Puerto Plata and Romana, (iii) the Ministry of Public Health, and (iv) the Dominican Electricity Corporation.
WUB are composed of Water Users Associations (Asociaciones de Regantes- WUA), and are legally considered as Non-profit organizations.
Source: INDRHI There are a number of legal and commercial issues that will affect how these projects move forward and are structured.
[7] There are also the usual legal considerations that need to be checked when developing PPPs in any sector, such as legal restrictions on the type of PPP arrangement that can be entered into, relevant procurement rules for entering into PPPs, existence of restrictions on foreign investment, taxation and potential for tax holidays and the ability to assign rights such as security and step in rights to lenders.
Annual fee for irrigation services are low (varies from US $4.75/ha in some regions to US$24/ha for a farmer with less than 10 ha not cultivating rice).
Operation and Maintenance expenditure in INDRHI's Irrigation Districts for 1997 was US$6.24 million (US$35/ha) while revenues from water fees was only 14% of this value.
In May 2008 the World Bank has approved a US$80 million loan to restore and strengthen irrigation, electricity, water, and sanitation infrastructure damaged by Tropical Storms Olga and Noel, enhance critical infrastructure to reduce future storm-related impacts, and strengthen basic capacity for future risk management in INDRHI and CDEEE.
Follow up on existing support WUA has been concentrated only in certain issues, without due attention to certifying their organizational development and achievements; (ii) capacitation has not adequately included administrative skills, business like attitude, social and environmental topics; (iii) efforts have been concentrated on the WUBs, leaving the WUAs with little support to strengthen the capacities as organizations; (iv) irrigation infrastructure is usually transferred in poor shape demanding large investments; and (v) stronger legal support is needed for the transfer process.
