Announcement of Morocco Second Large-Scale Irrigation Improvement Project on April 1, 1993

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ,World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. * Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 93/77 Contact: Jeannie Yamine Tel: (202) 473-2318 MOROCCO: SECOND LARGE-SCALE IRRIGATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT The following is additional information about a project announced in the latest issue of World Bank News. DATE: April 1, 1993 WORLD BANK GROUP SUPPORT: World Bank loan: $215 million. The World Bank loan is for 20 years, including five years of grace, with a variable interest rate, currently 7.43 percent, linked to the cost of the Bank's borrowings. It also carries an annual commitment charge of 0.25 percent on the undisbursed balance. TOTAL COST: $367.3 million OTHER PROPOSED FINANCING: Government of Morocco, $98 million; Regional Authority for Agricultural Development (ORMVA), $35.3 million; Farmers, $19 4 million IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 2001 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objective of the Second Large Scale Irrigation Project is to increase efficiency, cost effectiveness, and sustainability of the large-scale irrigation (LSI) subsector. Specific project objectives are to (a) increase efficiency of water distribution in the existing LSI schemes; (b) preserve public investments in LSI; (c) reduce the fiscal burden of operation and maintenance activities; (d) enhance the efficiency of water use by irrigators; and (e) ensure environmental protection in the LSI subsector. The project includes (a) infrastructure rehabilitation, including reconstruction, repair or upgrading of canals, drains, feeder roads, and pumping stations over the existing irrigated area; (b) institutional strengthening for the nine ORMVA's and the Directorate of Rural Equipment (DER) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform through the provision of equipment, technical assistance, and training to improve operations and maintenance procedures, accounting methods, and environmental protection; (c) water use efficiency improvement through pilot demonstrations and on-farm investments; and (d) policy reforms to increase cost recovery, streamline relations between the government, ORMVA's, and farmers; adopt a long term plan for rehabilitation, and revise LSI institutional framework. li