Announcement of Madagascar to Receive an IDA Credit for a Study of the Plain of Antananarivo on December 22, 1980

.F IMMEDIATE RELEASE World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Te)ephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 81/29 December 22, 1980 MADAGASCAR TO RECEIVE AN IDA CREDIT FOR A STUDY OF THE PLAIN OF ANTANANARIVO The International Development Association (IDA) has approved a credit of SOR 1.8 million ($2.3 million) to the Government of Madagascar to formulate an integrated flood control program and a development program for the Plain of Antananarivo. IDA is the soft-loan affiliate of the World Bank. The $2.9 million technical assistance project consists of pre-investment studies with the objective of defining a feasible investment program. The project is the first of its kind to be supported by IDA . • The studies will include a review and critical analysis of available technical options to protect the Plain area against floods and improve drain- age. Agronomic packages to intensify agriculture in the region will also be put together. The studies will also seek to define possible flood control and development schemes, taking into account their implications for the future growth pattern of the Antananarivo urban area, and to assess the costs and benefits of such schemes. It is expected that about five feasibl ~rograms will be identified. The project is designed also to improve the network of research stations for erosion and soil protection in the upper catchment areas of the Plain, and to improve the hydrological and flood alarm network in the Plain. The IDA-assisted project will strengthen the capability of the Directorate General of the Ministry of Finance and Planning to supervise the program of studies and action for the Plain. An essential objective of the project will be to increase the region's agricultural production, especially rice and vegetables. The implementation of the project will be supervised by the Directorat General du Plan, Ministere des Finances et du Plan, B.P. 674, Antananarivo, Madagascar. The IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace. It carries • no interest but will bear a service charge of 3/4 of 1% per annum to cover the Association's administrative expenses~ NOTE: IDA credits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the- basis of a "basket" of currencies. The U.S. dollar equiv- alent of the SOR amount of the IDA credit reflects the exchange rates existing at the time of negotiation of the credit.