VZCZCXRO1367
RR RUEHBC RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHIHL RUEHKUK
DE RUEHGB #3088/01 2691012
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251012Z SEP 08
FM AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9600
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003088 
 
AIDAC 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID PGOV PREL ECON SOCI PINS SNAR ENRG EPET
IZ 
 
SUBJECT:  IRAQ MINISTERIAL PARTNERSHIPS RE-START WATER 
FLOWING IN SOUTH RASHIDIYA CANALS, WITH USG HELP 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: In the midst of Iraq's struggles with a crippling 
drought, the USAID-funded Tatweer and Inma programs have 
facilitated a partnership between the Ministry of Water 
Resources (MoWR) and Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) to help 
secure a rehabilitation budget allotment to keep the water 
flowing through the South Rashidiya Canals.  The South 
Rashidiya Project, the first inter-ministry, multi- 
organization approach with the USAID-funded programs 
Tatweer and INMA and the local Provincial Reconstruction 
Team (PRT), could prove to be a pilot and model for other 
development projects involving Iraqi Ministries and U.S. 
assistance.  It also underscores Iraqi leadership 
commitment to capacity-building and solving Iraqi problems. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------- 
BACKGROUND 
---------------------------- 
¶2.  The problems with South Rashidiya irrigation systems 
are not new. Water used to flow freely in the area's 
agricultural canals, serving 4,000 hectares. Deterioration 
of the irrigation infrastructure, combined with drought and 
shortage of water supply, has left many of the water 
channels empty.  Extraordinary measures are needed to re- 
establish what was once considered a robust agricultural 
community of 700 farms. Natik Joudi, who was an engineer 
for the Ministry of Irrigation in the mid-1970s and now 
works with the PRT, explained that the long-time 
agricultural region was famous for its grains and orchards 
and populated by farmers who have handed down their land 
for generations. The project will preserve the region's 
rich agriculture and traditional way of life. 
 
---------------------------- 
INTEGRATED ACTION 
---------------------------- 
¶3.  USAID/Tatweer advisors, in cooperation with their 
counterparts at the MoWR and the MoA, helped initiate a 
field survey and conditional assessment of all the 
irrigation systems serving the South Rashidiya area.  This 
recently completed survey was conducted by 40 technical 
staff representatives from the MoWR and the MoA.  Trained 
staff from the MoWR, with assistance from MoA technicians, 
will utilize an existing Geographic Information System 
provided under a previous project executed by the Iraq 
Transition Assistance Office (ITAO) of the US Embassy to 
process the data gathered by the field survey.  The end 
result will be a report that will clearly identify the 
maintenance and capital reconstruction effort required 
to return irrigation water to the area and include 
capital rehabilitation requirements for South Rashidiya 
in the MoWR 2009 Budget. 
 
---------------------------- 
DIFFICULTIES WITH ENERGY 
---------------------------- 
¶4.  Although the river's low water flow and the slow 
deterioration of the area's irrigation systems are of 
primary concern, power shortages do have an impact. 
Currently, power shortages don't allow the canal pumps to 
keep a consistent enough flow to prevent stagnation in some 
of the canals, but Iraqi engineers proposed a solution for 
their ministerial counterparts. Again, with USAID's help, 
the Ministry of Electricity (MoE) has now joined the 
partnership and will provide a "dedicated service" of 
uninterrupted electricity to keep the canal pumps 
operational despite reduced water levels. 
 
---------------------------- 
THE TAKE-AWAY 
---------------------------- 
¶5.  The intent is for future surveys to be conducted by the 
MoWR and the MoA without help from USAID/Tatweer, 
USAID/INMA, or the Provincial Reconstruction Team, so 
the Ministries can together provide the targeted assistance 
needed to reclaim the large areas of deteriorated irrigated 
agricultural land.  This work will enable Iraq to more 
accurately evaluate the supply and demand requirements for 
water resources, providing data that will inform Iraq's 
difficult water negotiations with its neighbors.  The MoWR, 
MoA, and MoE are working hand in hand with USAID and the 
PRTs to institutionalize this new ministerial capacity both 
on the technical side and in terms of inter-ministerial 
coordination and cooperation.  This case demonstrates a 
commitment by Iraqi leadership to solving Iraq's problems. 
It also demonstrates how integrated USG ministerial 
assistance is building sustainable Iraqi institutional 
capacity. 
 
 
BAGHDAD 00003088  002 OF 002 
 
 
CROCKER