BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 13. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will allocate $85 million for the development of irrigation and drainage systems in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
The project will contribute to the restoration and modernization of irrigation and drainage networks serving about 23,230 hectares of land in Nakhchivan.
“The project will also help strengthen institutional capacity of the irrigation system management including support to water user associations. The project will include two indicative outputs: irrigation and drainage infrastructure improved and/or constructed; and capacity of State Amelioration and Water Managmeent Committee (SAWMC) and water users associations (WUAs) in irrigation and project management improved,” the ADB said.
According to the ADB, improving agricultural productivity is central to developing the rural economy and is the most direct route to improving employment and income opportunities.
Meanwhile, the ADB has allocated 67 loans, grants and technical assistance to Azerbaijan for the public sector totaling $3.7 billion. The total payments to Azerbaijan on loans amount to $3.96 billion. They were financed by regular and preferential ordinary capital resources.
The ADB's current sovereign portfolio in Azerbaijan includes 1 loan and 1 sovereign guarantee in the amount of $565.2 million.