LiftFund

U Kyaw Min Oo, the Director General of the Water Resources and Utilisation Department (WRUD) and Andrew Kirkwood, LIFT’s Fund Manager have signed an agreement to launch a Pump Irrigation Project (PIP) which will lead to the refurbishment of the Pyawt Ywa irrigation scheme in Myinmu township, Sagaing Region. 

LIFT is funding the refurbishment with USD 5 million. A Call for Expressions of Interest to implement this project will take place later this year.

The main purpose of the project is to improve the incomes of about 1,000 farmers by rehabilitating the scheme’s physical infrastructure and management. 

This is also a pilot project, to develop and demonstrate procedures and tools that can be used to increase the viability of PIPs in general and the relevance of investment in other PIPs and, potentially, gravity irrigation schemes. 

Expected Benefits of the Pyawt Ywa scheme

Rehabilitation of two smaller schemes in the Magwe Region are being funded by the French Development Agency, using a different modality.  Other similar projects are being developed through UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development and the World Bank, with similar aims. Forums will be put in place to combine the learning from these projects.

Consultations leading to yesterday’s signing have taken place over a period of three years, led by the LIFT team and its consultants.  They have met with branches of government, including the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation and the Chief Minister of Sagaing region, and village-based water users. The consultations significantly shaped the project design. 

More information, including the project design summary, will accompany the Call for Expressions of  Interest.