The Future of Water in
Agriculture in the Balkans:
The Irrigation & Drainage
(Eco)system Approach
REPORT BRIEF AND CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
Ranu Sinha, Regassa Namara,
Pieter Waalewijn, and
Svetlana Valieva
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The Future of Water in
Agriculture in the Balkans
The Irrigation and Drainage
(Eco)system Approach
REPORT BRIEF AND CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
Ranu Sinha, Regassa Namara,
Pieter Waalewijn, and Svetlana Valieva
1
vuk8691 / iStock
The dam on the river Rjecina,
INTRODUCTION
Rijeka, Croatia.
Why is there a rethinking needed for
the irrigation and drainage sector in the
THIS Western Balkans?
BRIEF
HIGHLIGHTS:
Most of the countries of the Western Balkans1 require major reforms
to the overall institutional, policy, regulatory, and financial aspects of
their water and agriculture sectors, which are at varying stages of
development. In addition, to mitigate and adapt to growing climate
the status of the risks and transform these sectors, they need to: (i) understand
the diversity of farm types, irrigation water sources, and climatic
irrigation and
conditions in the Western Balkans, and how they influence I&D
drainage (I&D)
outcomes; and (ii) based on that understanding, rethink the
sector in the
investment approach to the irrigation, drainage, and agriculture
Western Balkans;
sectors in order to achieve greener, more sustainable, climate-
resilient, and more inclusive rural development.
The Western Balkans are among the best-
introduces a endowed regions of Europe in terms of
new investment land, soil, water, ample labor resources, and
framework proximity to European Union (EU) markets.
for the sector,
with concrete This region has significant potential for improving its
steps for how to agricultural production and productivity. The Western
operationalize it; Balkan countries-- Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia,
and Serbia--are endowed with relatively abundant
water resources. However, these resources are
highly seasonal and spatially diverse, making I&D
and highlights indispensable for productive and sustainable
the outcomes and regional agricultural development. These countries
benefits that can
1. The Western Balkan countries include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
be expected. Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia
2
are characterized by economies in transition and rapidly changing demographics along with
increasing urbanization. With the poor economic competitiveness of the sector, and falling
incomes, agriculture tends to become an economic activity of last resort for many farmers,
providing critical income only to those without other job opportunities.
Modern I&D services are a critical element for managing the risks
associated with climate change, and for helping to increase crop
productivity and diversification, to enable the Balkan countries to compete
in European agricultural markets, thereby improving farming livelihoods.
Yet I&D sector development is at its historic low in terms of total area irrigated, and has declined
from previous levels in several of the Balkan countries. Drainage and flood protection play an
equally important role in extending the cropping area and the cropping season, but this also
remains underdeveloped or poorly maintained in many places.
Since the early 1990s, the World Bank has been supporting I&D
development in the Western Balkans. Public I&D systems are in varying
states of dilapidation, rehabilitation, and modernization.
The Bank has played a major role in channelling investments to upgrade these systems, along
with other sources of finance, including the European Union (EU) (in Croatia), the Abu Dhabi
Fund (in Serbia) and European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). However,
underfunding in the I&D sector is a major problem due to a combination of low tariffs and limited
cost recovery.
This rich history of engagement has enabled the World Bank to learn some key lessons: one
of them is that to break the rehabilitate-dilapidate-rehabilitate cycle, ensure optimal use of
the I&D potentials created, and respond to economic, environmental, and social inclusion
goals, there is a need to complement infrastructure investments with farmer (farming
system)-centered investments known as the Irrigation and Drainage (Eco)system approach.
This approach customizes I&D investment solutions to the prevailing and projected biophysical
context of the Western Balkans--including climate change, crop choices, and agricultural
markets--and seeks to reduce environmental damage and ensure the sustainability of both water
resources and I&D service delivery. However, it does not propose a wholesale alternative to an
infrastructure-based investment strategy; instead, it builds on it and strives to put the sector on
a more sustainable, resilient, greener, and more inclusive development path. Economic analyses
show that new public irrigation systems, whether open or pressurized, will only be profitable with
a high level of uptake and a substantial share of users opting to grow high-value crops; and our
experience in the region shows that often these conditions are not met in practice.
3
The Irrigation and Drainage (Eco)system approach aligns with the World Bank’s
Green Resilient Inclusive Development (GRID) approach.2 The GRID framework, which aims
for zero pollution and the creation of a toxic-free environment, as well as inclusive and
resilient development, is highly relevant for rethinking the I&D sector. These goals require
comprehensive and multipronged policy and investment responses, and enhanced pollution
monitoring, prevention, and remediation in order to simultaneously address water and food
security objectives while also heeding the growing calls for sustainability and “building back
green” as a prominent economic recovery model. However, few countries in the Balkan region
have an integrated strategy for how I&D investments can drive sustainable, resilient, inclusive,
and greener agricultural growth.
2 What are the factors driving transition & transformation
of the I&D sector in the Western Balkan countries?
CLIMATE CHANGE
Arable agriculture in the Western Balkans is practiced in four distinctive agroclimatic zones:
ZONE 1 ZONE 2 ZONE 3 ZONE 4
The Pannonian Plain, The Adriatic Coast, in the The hills, The isolated
which is in the northern southwestern part of the which cover plains of
and northeastern parts region, includes significant Central Serbia Kosovo
of the Balkans, covering areas of agricultural land and parts of and North
large areas of Croatia, in Albania, Croatia, and Bosnia and Macedonia.
Serbia, and the northern some areas of Bosnia Herzegovina;
parts of Bosnia and and Herzegovina, and and
Herzegovina. Montenegro.
The region is generally well endowed with water resources, though with shortages at specific
times and in specific places. The impact of climate change is expected to be modest in the short
term but to accelerate markedly from the mid-century on, making the entire region hotter, the
north wetter, and the south drier. By 2050, the following changes are expected:
Average temperatures will rise by 0.5-1.5˚C, slightly less in the north and more
in the south. Maximum temperatures will also rise, and there will be fewer cold
days. With a predicted temperate continental climate, this may lead to increasing
snowmelt, resulting in the potential for floods. This will also lead to higher
2. The World Bank Group’s corporate Climate Change Action Plan strategy for 2021-25 presents a paradigm shift of the World Bank
toward a Green Inclusive Resilient Development (GRID) approach, which is responding to the triple crises of poverty, climate
change, and inequality.
4
consumptive requirements of crops and more erratic water availability in the
summer, particularly in the Southern Balkans.
Precipitation will increase in the north and decrease in the south, with higher levels
of precipitation in early spring and late autumn, and lower levels in summer. There
will also be more drought days (see Figure 2.1).
Inflows from the Danube, Sava, Tisa, and Drava rivers will be determined by
climate changes further north in Europe; average flow is not expected to decrease
significantly over this period, but the risk of flooding may increase. Flows for the
other rivers will be influenced by precipitation changes within the region, including
increased seasonality and variability.
FIGURE 2.1 Projected Change in Annual Precipitation in the Balkans 2071-2100
Compared to 1971-2000
AUSTRIA
HUNGARY
SLOVENIA
ROMANIA
CROATIA
BOSNIA SERBIA
AND
HERZEGOVINA
MONTENEGRO
KOSOVO BULGARIA
ITALY
NORTH
MACEDONIA
PROJECTED CHANGE IN ANNUAL PRECIPITATION ALBANIA
2071 - 2100
GREATER THAN 10%
5.01 - 10%
-4.99 - 5%
-9.99 - 5% IBRD 45905 | APRIL 2021
LESS THAN -10%
GREECE This map was produced by the Cartography Unit of the World Bank
Group. The boundaries, colors, denominations and any other
information shown on this map do not imply, on the part of the
World Bank Group, any judgment on the legal status of any
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES territory, or any endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries.
There is large spatial and temporal variation within these countries and, in addition to the
type and scheduling of crops, the need for irrigation will depend on the current and expected
changes in climate and rainfall patterns across the region. This underscores the importance of
having adequate I&D throughout the region to enable crop intensification and the production of
higher-value crops. Although I&D services are needed in all the Balkan countries, the northern
5
parts of the region will require I&D more as insurance, and to extend the season in the wet
months. In the southern regions I&D will be needed to allow cropping in the hot and dry months,
and to provide insurance in the spring.
ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE GREEN AGENDA, AND
STRUCTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Some of the Balkan countries are undergoing the process of accession to the EU and aligning
with the Green Agenda; and the agricultural sector in the region is in the process of structural
transformation. All of these are contributing factors that underscore the need to rethink
investment approaches in the I&D sector. These factors, and the transition requirements and
enablers for these processes are detailed in Figure 2.2.
FIGURE 2.2 Summary of the Major Drivers of Transition in the Western Balkans
DRIVERS OF TRANSITION IN THE WESTERN BALKANS
The Western Balkan countries are in a process of transition driven by the accession to the EU,
the Green Agenda and climate change.
Transition Drivers Transition Requirements Transition Enablers
Rethink regulatory, institutional,
European Harmonization and negotiation of 35 separate and infrastructure investment
Union “chapters” of the Acquis Communautaire approaches in water, food,
Accession energy sectors.
Policy and grant alignment with Green Agenda themes:
Shift to Establish criteria Enhance Active national harmonization
The integrated for environmental resilience to Water Framework Directive,
Green water protection and the through and related EU green
Agenda manage- management of adaptive water directives.
ment on a water quantity and and crop
basin-scale. quality. practices
An (eco)system approach is
Shift to integrated water management on a basin needed that recognizes the
Climate scale and establish criteria for environmental different dimensions of the
Change protection and the management of water quantity farming systems in the region,
and quality. the agro-climatic and structural
elements.
Agriculture across the Balkans is undergoing a
Farm-scale process of structural transformation. Irrigation can Better match needed between
play a critical role in supporting this process and diverse farm system needs with
Structural appropriate irrigation options.
improve production efficiencies on the farm and
Transformation beyond.
6
DIVERSITY OF AGROCLIMATIC ZONES,
AND TYPOLOGY OF FARMS IN THE BALKANS
The Balkans are characterized by three distinct typologies of farms, dominated by the small
family farm. The three types are:
Small household Mixed-income Full-time
farms: commercial farms commercial farms
Small farms producing Medium-sized farms (typically Large farms producing almost
largely for consumption 1-5 ha), producing crops entirely for commercial sale, and
by the household and partly or mainly for sale, often providing the majority of
the extended family but gaining most of the farm household income. (There
(typically < 1 hectares household income from non- are now 6-30+ hectare farms in
(ha); covering mostly agricultural jobs or pensions all regions, usually accounting
Albania, Kosovo, and (Albania, Kosovo, North for 20-40 percent of the land, for
North Macedonia); Macedonia); sometimes example in Adriatic Croatia, where
spread over two or even more than 65 percent of the land
three adjacent farm plots (for lies on holdings of more than 100
example, Adriatic Croatia); hectares; as well as in Montenegro
and Vojvodina, where nearly 40
percent of the land lies in holdings
of more than 100 hectares).
Jana_Janina / iStock
The agricultural fields of southern Croatia.
7
PRIVATE IRRIGATION, AND THE ROLE OF MUNICIPALITIES
IN IRRIGATION SERVICE DELIVERY
Across the Balkans, more than 60 percent of irrigating farmers use
groundwater, and almost 40 percent use surface water. One conclusion
that emerges from this data is that multiuser irrigation systems, an area of
investment upon which governments and donors tend to focus, represent
only around a third of the irrigated farms in these countries.
Private irrigation, where just one farm is responsible for irrigating their farm plot, from
abstraction through to application, is the dominant system in the region. The data for four
countries (Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia) indicate that more than 150,000 farms use
this approach, and the total for the region may exceed a quarter of a million farms, the large
majority operating without any formal permit. Individual irrigation tends to be institutionally simple
and economically profitable and is widely used to produce high-value crops that can easily cover
the costs of irrigation. However, in some places unlicensed groundwater withdrawals are creating
a risk of overexploitation of scarce water sources.
Municipalities and their I&D units are active in many countries of the Western Balkans.
Municipalities act as the central point for identifying needs, as well as for promoting and financing
preparatory studies, supervising and financing the construction of infrastructure, and managing
irrigation facilities. Sometimes the management is undertaken directly by the municipalities’
Irrigation & Drainage Units (IDUs), as is the case in Albania; in other cases, this is handled by
water utility companies (WUCs). The role of these institutions as service providers
needs to be strengthened and incentivized to be able to
improve overall I&D services across
the region.
studiodr / iStock
Greenhouses plantations in Albania.
8
3 Enabling Green, Climate-Resilient, Sustainable, and
Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in the Western
Balkans: The Irrigation & Drainage (Eco)system
Approach.
DEFINING THE APPROACH
Irrigation and drainage are inherently part of a complex socio-technical-ecological system that is
influenced and affected by climatic, agroecological, socioeconomic, technological, governance
and policy, as well as behavioral factors. These factors are referred to as the (eco)system3 of the
I&D sectors. They play a powerful role in influencing the outcomes from investments in irrigation,
drainage, and agriculture; therefore, they need to be considered when designing and prioritizing
interventions. This approach has redefined the investment framework for identifying, designing,
prioritizing, sequencing, implementing, and monitoring I&D sector interventions in a holistic and
targeted manner in order to address agricultural water management constraints for a variety of farm
types and contexts. It is oriented toward supporting governments in meeting the triple objectives of
green, inclusive, and climate-resilient irrigation and agricultural growth.
WHAT ARE THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS THAT DISTINGUISH
THE IRRIGATION & DRAINAGE (ECO)SYSTEM APPROACH FROM
“BUSINESS AS USUAL”?
The irrigation & drainage (eco)system approach is an integrated “farm-centric” investment
strategy that targets specific I&D infrastructure and non-infrastructure solutions to address
the constraints and needs of various farming systems. As Figure 3.1 shows, the (eco)system
approach focuses on targeting I&D solutions by:
(i) making a deliberate effort to ensure that optimal use of the improved or new
I&D potential that is created by investments in I&D matches the way various farm
systems actually use irrigation water;
(ii) providing all farming systems, from small- scale to commercial producers, with
tailored approaches to food production;
(iii) linking climate risk management to other forms of risk management (insurance,
trade, phytosanitary, and agro-environmental measures, and other market-based
mechanisms);
3. The term “(eco)system” is not limited to the natural ecosystem of living and nonliving organisms, but instead is a broader term to
describe the socioecological systems that comprise irrigation. That is, it is a combination of the hydrological, environmental, social,
economic, governance, and human systems that interact upon and influence I&D outcomes.
9
(iv) instituting policy reform of delivery mechanisms, for example creating better
coordination mechanisms between different tiers of government, as well as
between sectors; and between government and the private sector; and
(v) integration from the farm to the basin scale, with an emphasis on water
security and climate resilience (see Figure 3.1).
FIGURE 3.1 The Irrigation & Drainage (Eco)system Approach Theory of Change
PUTTING THE I&D ECO(SYSTEM) APPROACH INTO ACTION
Dominant irrigation
Agro- and drainage scenario
Implementation
climatic
• Flood Areas
Zones
protection
• Drainage • I&D infrastructure
Zone 1: options
Farm Pannonian • Large-scale
Typology plains irrigation • Strengthening
• Groundwater/ I&D governance
Full-time private structures,
commercial irrigation irrigation service
farms delivery &
management
• Summer Long
with
irrigation Term
multi-agency
Zone 2: • Storage Outcomes Goals
coordination
The (eco)system Theory of Change
Adriatic
• Hydropower
coast • Incentivize • Reduced • Enhanced
nexus
farmer- environmental water and
• Commercial led irrigation footprint of food security
Mixed greenhouses development agriculture • Reduced rural
income
• Green & • Resilient poverty
commercial • Multi-user
decarbonize Covid-19 • Green
farms irrigation irrigated recovery Inclusive
• Small-scale agriculture • Increased Resilient
Zone 3:
private Income Development
Hills • Activate &
irrigation
• Groundwater/ strengthen
agriculture
springs
knowledge
services and
• Large-scale access to
Household irrigation markets and
farms • Sprinkler/drip value chains for
Zone 4: irrigation for irrigated
Isolated high value agriculture
plains crops
• Basin to farm
• Groundwater/ smart irrigation &
private climate services
irrigation
10
utamaria / iStock
Mountain landscape in North Albania with river Koman.
This approach requires strong
“environmental stewardship.” To align
with the Water Framework Directive, EU Accession, and the
Green Agenda policy priorities of the Balkans, all future I&D investments
should be coupled with improved environmental standards and practices
that meet the requirements of reduced water pollution and the negative
environmental impacts of increased irrigation.
It offers a diversified irrigation service delivery model, which includes support to private
irrigation. In multiuser or public irrigation systems, a move toward on-demand irrigation
water services is encouraged in order to enable the flexibility, reliability, and adequacy of
irrigation water supply. This includes support to private irrigators who are making investments
and innovating to valorize the I&D infrastructure through the conjunctive use of surface
and groundwater resources. It also focuses on creating clear institutional responsibilities,
accountability, effectiveness, and regulations. (See Annex 1 for a brief overview of the types of
institutional and policy reforms that it will be necessary to make in the irrigation management
systems in the Western Balkan countries.)
It promotes new performance monitoring standards and metrics of success. Identification and
application of holistic performance indicators goes beyond narrow physical criteria to account
for the realities of the I&D (eco)system: this includes agricultural productivity, environmental
sustainability, climate resilience, flexibility, reliability and adequacy of the irrigation water supply,
and customer satisfaction, with a particular focus on gender inclusivity. This can set service
providers on a path toward providing reliable, safe, inclusive, transparent, and responsive
services that align well with the World Bank’s ongoing work of developing performance
assessment tools for the Irrigation Operator of the Future tool.
11
It relies on the application of innovative financing models, including performance-oriented
fiscal transfers to municipalities and results-based financing of individual projects or programs,
and promotes partnerships at the local and national levels of administration to leverage financial
resources, harmonize policies, coordinate investments, and ensure the principle of financial
additionality.
It offers flexibility in terms of timelines. Proposed interventions could be either short-term
(setting the stage and preparing for longer-term investments) or long-term, spanning five or
more years. To achieve better outcomes, the choice of interventions should be grounded in local
realities for what farmers need to better manage their use of irrigation water; but the broader lens
does not have to make interventions more complex. By understanding local complexities and
leveraging opportunities, simple interventions can be crafted in such a way that they deliver high
impact at low cost. (Box 5.1 describes such an approach being tested in Africa.4)
BOX 3.1 On-Farm to Catchment Management in Ethiopia
• The management
of a catchment
was successfully
demonstrated in
Northern Ethiopia,
Tigray, illustrating how
on-farm strategies are
connected to broader
catchment conditions.
• A series of small dams
(see photo), runoff-
stopping structures,
and reforestation were
implemented following
a rural diagnostic of water user economic, infrastructure, social, and environmental
conditions.
• As a result, flooding in the valley was reduced and the water storage in the catchment,
especially in the valley floor, was improved.
• This led to an extension of the growing time and enabled the production of alternative
crops.
4. W. Loiskandl and R. Nolz. “Requirements for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture.” 2021. Agronomy Vol (11): 306.
12
4 Implementation Options for the Irrigation &
Drainage (Eco)system Approach
IMPLEMENTATION AREA 1: Strengthening I&D governance structures, improving
irrigation service delivery and management with multiagency coordination.
This can be done by creating new opportunities to break silos across agricultural, water resources,
environmental, and related agencies; reform irrigation institutions; and enhance performance via
modernization and innovative measures for I&D service delivery. It is important to monitor the
performance of agencies against green, resilient, inclusive, and gender-sensitive services and
the of "degree of technological innovations applied", as well as by addressing the information
gaps inherent in irrigation scheme capacity, functionality, and sustainability. This in turn can better
support farmers as they transform their productive capacities. Next, it is vital to respond to the
diverse needs of different farming segments and water users by increasing accountability, creating
autonomy in the service delivery chain, and separating functions.
IMPLEMENTATION AREA 2:
Green and decarbonize irrigated agriculture.
Some of the region’s irrigation systems need repurposing to catalyze nature-based solutions,
power generation, pollution prevention, and circular economy approaches to the adoption of
wastewater reuse for irrigation. When investments are made to upgrade drainage systems, soil
health in irrigated agriculture can be improved. It is also important to encourage farm advisory
services to adopt new crop varieties that can adapt to climate stress; to target small producers
and female decisionmakers; and to increase investment in training farmers and ministries on
climate-resilient agricultural water management practices.
IMPLEMENTATION AREA 3:
Incentivize Farmer-Led Irrigation Development (FLID).
Since a large majority of farmers are “individual” irrigators, this is an opportunity for governments to
support their development, consolidation, and sustainability through regulations that allow for FLID,
which requires a different government support model than those in which farmers use irrigation
from public schemes (Izzi et al 2021). (See Annex 1 for specific steps on how to operationalize FLID
in appropriate farming systems and agroclimatic zones in the Western Balkans).
IMPLEMENTATION AREA 4: Activate and strengthen agricultural knowledge
services and inclusive access to markets and value chains for irrigated agriculture.
This can include interventions such as: (i) promoting partnerships with the private sector
(connecting farmers to off-takers); (ii) promoting and scaling existing opportunities for youth agro-
13
entrepreneurs; (iii) improving and enhancing marketing and agricultural input support to these
farms, which increases their opportunities to market and sell their commodities; and (iv) training
and coordinating farmers to organize around specific commodities in order to enable small
household farms and medium mixed-income farms to transition from low-value subsistence to
higher-value agriculture.
IMPLEMENTATION AREA 5: Multipronged and customized infrastructure solutions
for collective and bulk water supply schemes.
These are to be selected, depending on the targeted farm type, to address core infrastructure
and water access constraints: (i) modernization and improved management of poorly performing
multiuser irrigation systems; (ii) rehabilitation, expansion, and decommissioning of dilapidated
multiuser irrigation systems; (iii) rehabilitation of drainage systems; (iv) construction of new
multiuser irrigation systems; (v) investments in storage, flood protection infrastructure, and river
works to mitigate the impacts of climate change; and (vi) separate service delivery functions
and business models for different types of infrastructure, outcomes, and timelines, which
will determine the cost, time frame, technology choices, financing solutions (PPP or not), and
integration with other infrastructure services.
IMPLEMENTATION AREA 6:
Invest in basin-to-farm “smart” irrigation and climate services.
This entails modernizing how agencies observe, forecast, model, and disseminate real-
time climate, water, land, and agronomic data such as precipitation, evapotranspiration (ET),
temperature, wind pressure, humidity, soil, and river flow data services to help irrigation service
providers design, plan, adapt, and modernize infrastructure, and efficiently allocate water to end
users. It is also necessary to improve access to digital and mobile technologies to help farmers
manage climate risks by direct citizen engagement in providing climate data services to end
users.
This approach, and its related areas of implementation, provide a platform for partners in the
Western Balkans to dialogue about transformative investments in the I&D sector. Application
of the I&D (eco)system approach offers governments a menu of investment options that
are tailored to scale the potential of diverse farming systems to tackle
climate risks and accelerate innovation in the I&D sectors
for more green, inclusive, and resilient
growth.
14
ANNEX 1: Institutional & Policy Actions Matrix for the I&D (Eco)system Approach
Dominant Irrigation Suggested Irrigation Service Suggested Irrigation Service
Management System Delivery Reforms & Action(s) Delivery Reforms & Action(s)
(common to all zones) (specific to zone)
Dominant Farm Typology
by Zone
Zone 1: Pannonian Plains Water utility companies Water pricing policy for FLID for private irrigators:
(full-time commercial (majority are public, some irrigation: Assess existing Step 1: Conduct a beneficiary
farms with low-value are private) tariff policies, or design a new diagnostic to define FLID
crops; average 6-10 ha in tariff policy that aligns with eligibility criteria for male/
Croatia/Vojvodina) provisions of the European female farmers (Actors: Donors
Commission Directives & national/local agencies).
including cost recovery of Step 2: Infrastructure
water services; adequate assessment, prioritization
incentives for users to use of private infrastructure
water efficiently; reduction in development (Actors: Donors,
environmental degradation public sector agencies,
using a “polluter pays principle” farmers). Step 3: Assess
(for example, a two-part tariff potential to scale – financial,
area + volumetric fee); (Actor: technical capacity, types of
National regulatory authority or crops grown, etc. for private
line ministry). irrigators (Actors: Donors
Environmental policies: To and public agencies). Step
assess readiness to align 4: Create a multistakeholder
with various EU WFD, CAP, alliance (Actors: public officials,
and related directives, the financial institutions, irrigation
designated competent equipment suppliers, value
authority to carry out analysis chain actors, farmers). Step
of pressures on water bodies 5: Enable the flow of funds:
from I&D services; identify examine different procurement
what might be blocking a good options to help farmers to
status; and set mutually agreed afford infrastructure/equipment
upon environmental criteria for (Actors: govts, donors,
concerned irrigation providers. equipment suppliers, value
chain actors, farmers).
Coordination capacities:
Zone 2: Adriatic Coast Albania & Montenegro Assess the capacity of Legal: Prepare and adopt a
(Full-time commercial Municipalities, through multiple agencies and develop WUO act if it is not yet available
farms (6-30+ ha); mixed- I&D units, cooperatives, strategies to establish common (Actors: National governments)
income commercial farms municipal multiutility regulatory frameworks for
(1-5 ha) companies; Croatia the use of European funds to
57% of high-value crops Water utility companies; fulfill pre-accession criteria in
in Adriatic Croatia, BiH Municipalities, water a coordinated manner across
Albania, some parts of utility companies, WUAs, multiple line agencies.
Montenegro & BiH) cooperatives.
Regulatory instruments:
Zone 3: Hills (mixed- Actors: Water utility Develop policies that FLID for private irrigators
income commercial farms companies encourage cost reduction of (Same steps as in Zone 1)
in Central Serbia & parts service provision by increasing
of BiH) the levels of operational,
conveyance, and energy
Zone 4: Isolated Plains Kosovo Water utility efficiency, based on proven Legal: Prepare and adopt WUO
of Kosovo & North companies; North and solid technologies for act if it is not yet available
Macedonia (Household Macedonia WUAs, water improved metering, regulation, (Actor: National government)
plots (0-1 Ha); mixed- utility companies, water and control of flows and
FLID for private irrigators
income commercial farms management enterprises hydraulic heads.
(same steps as in Zone 1)
(3 ha)
15
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