National Irrigation Program (PRONAR)
BOLIVIA
SECTOR: Agriculture
PROJECT NAME: National Irrigation Program (PRONAR)
(964/SF-BO)
TOTAL COST: $32.9 million
FINANCING:
IDB $25.6 million
OTHER $ 2.0 million (German Agency for Technical
Cooperation)
LOCAL $ 5.3 million
DATE OF APPROVAL: December 6, 1995
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: This program is aimed at bringing about an
institutional and legal rearrangement of the water
resources sector and the irrigation subsector to
create the requisite elements for managing and
coordinating actions in the subsector, enhance the
efficiency of investments, and foster the rational and
sustainable use of water resources. By means of
investments, primarily in the improvement and
rehabilitation of small irrigation systems, the
program seeks to increase agricultural production in
economically depressed areas with the aim of
alleviating poverty among farmers in the lowest-income
strata.
The program consists of four components:
(a) institutional strengthening of the irrigation
subsector. The National Directorate for Irrigation
and Soils (DNRS) will be strengthened with a new
organizational structure providing for a
decentralization of its activities in the country's
three major watersheds that require irrigation and for
the establishment of a national and departmental
irrigation committees. Funding will be provided for
studies to compile inventories of existing irrigation
systems and potentially irrigable areas, reviewing of
national irrigation policy, and evaluation and
transfer of publicly operated systems to
beneficiaries. The component also includes
systematizing data on irrigation, as well as study
grants for specialist training in irrigation.
(b) support for water resources management. Support
will be extended for the enactment of a new water law.
With a view to the implementation of the principles
embodied in the new legislation, the program will
provide funding for consultancies as needed for
drafting general regulations under the law, as well as
regulations for each water-user sector. The component
also calls for hiring consultants for the purpose of
organizing a water authority and getting its
operations under way.
(c) technical assistance and training. This
component, which will be financed by the Federal
Republic of Germany and executed by the German Agency
for Technical Cooperation, is directed at placing the
pertinent institutions, both governmental and private,
in a position to channel and provide adequate services
in the preparation and execution of rural irrigation
projects. Training programs in the identification,
preparation and implementation of irrigation projects
will be conducted for the benefit of executing
entities. Technical support will be given to the new
structure of the executing agency in its new functions
and activities.
(d) investments in small irrigation systems.
Investments in simple projects designed to
rehabilitate or improve small irrigation systems (the
total cost of which is not to exceed $350,000, or
$2,500 per hectare) will be financed through the Fondo
de Desarrollo Campesino (FDC). Commitment of these
resources by the FDC will be contingent on reaching
the successive milestones agreed upon with the
Bolivian government for the institutional
reconfiguration of the subsector.
CONSULTANTS: Consultants will be hired for the following:
(a) project inventory and identification (5 local
consultants for 12 person/months each); (b) irrigation
development planning at major watershed level, and
formulation of national irrigation policy (3 local
consultants for 36 person/months and 1 international
specialist); (c) operational evaluation of public and
semi-public irrigation systems (3 local consultants
for a total of 28 person/months, and an international
specialist for 2 person/months); (d) organization and
implementation of Water Authority (3 local consultants
in public administration, systems analysis and water
resources, an international consultant, and a legal
consultant, for a total of 60 person/months);
(e) general regulations under the Water Law (2 local
consultants in water resources engineering and law,
and 2 international consultants in hydrology and
economics); and (f) water-use regulations in the areas
of irrigated farming, potable water supply, energy,
inland navigation, mining and industry (6 local
consultants, 6 legal consultants, and 1 international
consultant).
Funds from the Federal Republic of Germany will be
used to hire individual consultants on a short-term
basis to provide training courses and technical
assistance to the executing entities.
GOODS AND EQUIPMENT: Computer equipment (computers, software, printers and
a geographic information system) and 3 vehicles will
be purchased. In addition, vehicles, computers and
office equipment will be purchased using German funds.
CIVIL WORKS: Small-scale works will be financed involving the
rehabilitation or improvement of small irrigation
systems whose total cost does not exceed $350,000, or
$2,500 per hectare. Funding for the investments
component will be channeled through the
nonreimbursable line of credit of the FDC (which will
be responsible for the technical and economic
appraisal, as well as final approval of financing for
projects).
EXECUTING AGENCY: Secretaría Nacional de Agricultura y Ganadería (SNAG)
Dirección Nacional de Riego y Suelos
Avda. Camacho 1471
La Paz, Bolivia
Tel.: (591-2) 391-508
Fax: (591-2) 337-535
