The Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine is obliged to begin restoring the irrigation system of agricultural lands in the south of the country by the end of this year, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said during a meeting devoted to irrigation held on Thursday.
According to the press service of the Cabinet, in addition to Shmyhal, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Roman Leshchenko, representatives of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Finance, Head of the Mykolaiv Regional State Administration Vitaliy Kim, Head of the Odesa Regional State Administration Serhiy Hrynevetsky and acting Head of the Kherson Regional State Administration Serhiy Kozyr attended the meeting.
As the Prime Minister said, the President of Ukraine set the Cabinet of Ministers the task to begin the restoration of irrigation systems this year, which means that the government must ensure the prompt transfer of the property complexes of the Ministry of Ecology to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy.
“Today, most of the land reclamation and irrigation infrastructure is managed by the State Water Resources Agency. Accordingly, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, which is responsible for the restoration of irrigation systems, cannot yet begin practical work in this direction. A quick solution to this issue will allow the Ministry of Agrarian Policy to begin implementation of pilot projects to restore irrigation systems this year, and will help farmers to significantly increase their harvest,” Shmyhal said.
As Leshchenko said, irrigation reform is among the main priorities of the ministry.
“This year is defining for us. We understand how to form an institutional and legislative framework, and according to this plan we are ready to move,” the minister said.
Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Mykhailo Khorev reported that on behalf of the Prime Minister, a meeting had been held, following which a roadmap for transferring property to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy was drawn up.
AGRARIAN POLICY, AGRICULTURAL, AGRICULTURAL LAND, IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
