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GOVERNMENT FOCUSES ON IRRIGATION POLICIES
Srbuhi Vanian
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 May 2006
The NKR government has launched a policy on the use of water resources
with a special focus on the system of irrigation. The policy provides
for an annual 3-4 billion drams of investments in capital building
programmes. In this sphere no building has been carried out since the
Soviet years. Since 1999 there has been some reconstruction in the
irrigation system, namely the water pipeline of Askeran and Khramort,
a pumping station was built in the village of Talish. The government
has worked out a number of projects, based on economic and scientific
research, which are expected to spur agriculture. "Along with a purely
agricultural importance the improvement of the irrigation system has a
national importance too, since the shortage of irrigation water reduces
crop yield and increases the cost of price of produce," said Vahram
Baghdassarian, the minister of agriculture. "With the implementation
of irrigation programmes launched in Armenia in the framework of the
Millennium Challenge programme in 2006 (an increase in the volume of
agricultural production and dropping cost of price is estimated in
Armenia in the upcoming two or three years) we will be having serious
problems on the markets of agricultural production because Karabakh
will not be competitive. Therefore, the government set a goal to speed
up the implementation of irrigation projects," stated the minister of
agriculture of NKR. In 2005-2006 the Nor Seysulan - Nor Aygestan and
Khachen - Khramort - Khanabad water pipelines were repaired, currently
the Khachen - Martakert pipeline is reconstructed. Besides, the water
of the river Tartar will be transported to the plains of Martakert
to irrigate over 7 thousand hectares of land. The government policy
will enable to store about 70-90 million cu m of water annually and to
solve the problem of drinking and irrigation water fundamentally. A
32 km water pipeline will be built from the source located 6 km from
Yerek Mankunk Church to Martakert. This pipeline will supply water
to the town of Martakert and the adjacent 6 rural communities. The
23 million cu m reservoir in Askeran will allow irrigating over 5
thousand hectares of land in the regions of Askeran and Martuni. In the
current year it is foreseen to join the river Trgeh to the reservoir
of Sarsang and reconstruct infrastructures. The policy also includes
the Arjagbyur - Hadrut and the Khonashen - Martuni water pipelines,
the reservoir and pipeline of Stepanakert, construction of pipelines
of Varanda, Arakel, Amaras. This is a costly programme, and besides
the budget funds part of the costs will be covered by electricity
generation. An energy programme will be implemented in 2006. Along
with the diversion of the river Trgeh 3 small water power plants
will be built on the pipeline. The minister of agriculture Vahram
Baghdasarian said these plants are going to generate 50 million kWt
of energy annually. The irrigation improvement policy will involve
benefactors and foreign investors as well. For the distribution of
water to farmers and households, the experience of Armenia will be
used, setting up local water supply stations.
Srbuhi Vanian
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 May 2006
The NKR government has launched a policy on the use of water resources
with a special focus on the system of irrigation. The policy provides
for an annual 3-4 billion drams of investments in capital building
programmes. In this sphere no building has been carried out since the
Soviet years. Since 1999 there has been some reconstruction in the
irrigation system, namely the water pipeline of Askeran and Khramort,
a pumping station was built in the village of Talish. The government
has worked out a number of projects, based on economic and scientific
research, which are expected to spur agriculture. "Along with a purely
agricultural importance the improvement of the irrigation system has a
national importance too, since the shortage of irrigation water reduces
crop yield and increases the cost of price of produce," said Vahram
Baghdassarian, the minister of agriculture. "With the implementation
of irrigation programmes launched in Armenia in the framework of the
Millennium Challenge programme in 2006 (an increase in the volume of
agricultural production and dropping cost of price is estimated in
Armenia in the upcoming two or three years) we will be having serious
problems on the markets of agricultural production because Karabakh
will not be competitive. Therefore, the government set a goal to speed
up the implementation of irrigation projects," stated the minister of
agriculture of NKR. In 2005-2006 the Nor Seysulan - Nor Aygestan and
Khachen - Khramort - Khanabad water pipelines were repaired, currently
the Khachen - Martakert pipeline is reconstructed. Besides, the water
of the river Tartar will be transported to the plains of Martakert
to irrigate over 7 thousand hectares of land. The government policy
will enable to store about 70-90 million cu m of water annually and to
solve the problem of drinking and irrigation water fundamentally. A
32 km water pipeline will be built from the source located 6 km from
Yerek Mankunk Church to Martakert. This pipeline will supply water
to the town of Martakert and the adjacent 6 rural communities. The
23 million cu m reservoir in Askeran will allow irrigating over 5
thousand hectares of land in the regions of Askeran and Martuni. In the
current year it is foreseen to join the river Trgeh to the reservoir
of Sarsang and reconstruct infrastructures. The policy also includes
the Arjagbyur - Hadrut and the Khonashen - Martuni water pipelines,
the reservoir and pipeline of Stepanakert, construction of pipelines
of Varanda, Arakel, Amaras. This is a costly programme, and besides
the budget funds part of the costs will be covered by electricity
generation. An energy programme will be implemented in 2006. Along
with the diversion of the river Trgeh 3 small water power plants
will be built on the pipeline. The minister of agriculture Vahram
Baghdasarian said these plants are going to generate 50 million kWt
of energy annually. The irrigation improvement policy will involve
benefactors and foreign investors as well. For the distribution of
water to farmers and households, the experience of Armenia will be
used, setting up local water supply stations.