EU finances agricultural projects in Bali

EU finances agricultural projects in Bali

Rita A. Widiadana
The Jakarta Post
Singaraja, North Bali

Ambassador/Head of the Delegation of the European Commission
Sabato Dela Monica and Bali Governor I Dewa Made Beratha
inaugurated a 6.625 million Euro (Rp 58 billion) irrigated
agricultural projects in several impoverished villages in
Buleleng, North Bali, and Karangasem in East Bali on Friday.

The projects are the continuation of the North Bali Ground
Water Irrigation and Water Supply which were completed in l999.
The projects, however, had to be redesigned during its
implementation due to a number of technical reasons.

The first-phase of the project, 15 ground water irrigation
systems are already completed and operational. For the remaining
15 locations, the survey, investigation and design (SID)
processes had been completed and deep wells constructed.

The second-phase of the project will involve piped irrigation
distribution networks and pumping systems to be installed in 15
existing sub-project areas, and rehabilitation and upgrading of
the nine existing system.

Governor Dewa Beratha expressed the hope that the project
would benefit local people who are now living in dry and
infertile areas in northern and eastern parts of Bali.

"Bali is divided into two areas --the rich and the poor areas.
In the southern part of the island, there are abundant of water
resources because these areas posses rivers and lakes, but in the
northern and eastern parts, people have to dig wells hundreds of
meters from the ground level to get water for drinking and
irrigation," he said.

It is hoped that the project would provide local people with
adequate water for irrigation and daily needs, he said.

Buleleng regency has been known as an agricultural area but
due to lack of water and irrigation system, the result is not so
encouraging.

Meanwhile Ambassador Dela Monica insisted that the project
reflects the European Union's strong commitment to help Indonesia
in its effort to reduce poverty in the country.

The European Union has committed to providing 6.125 million
Euros in grant, and the remaining 500,000 Euro has to be
allocated by the Indonesian government.

The Ministry of Settlements and Regional Infrastructure will
execute the projects, with the Bali provincial irrigation
services acting as the implementing agency.

The projects have been established based on the European
Commission 's Country strategy paper for Indonesia, which
provides the framework to focus and target all of the European
Union's assistance during a five-year period of 2002-2006.

An indicative sum of 216 million Euros has been earmarked to
finance this strategy for Indonesia including to promote good
governance, health and education, sustainable management of
natural resources, poverty alleviation programs and women's
empowerment.

"The aim of the project is to empower the grass root, to
introduce high income generating mixed farming systems through
the introduction of new high yielding crops; to increase the
involvement of female community members in agriculture and other
income generating activities; and to enhance the professional
capacity of local irrigation and agricultural organizations," the
ambassador said.

The project is being implemented in a number of remote and
poor villages of Bondalem in Buleleng and Les village in
Karangasem regency.

During a site visit to one of the Tubewell User Groups (TUGs)
in Les village, around 45 kilometer east of Singaraja, Bali
governor Dewa Beratha accompanied an entourage of Ambassadors and
high-ranking diplomats from the European Union countries which
include the Ambassador of Greece Alexios Christopoulous, the
Ambassador of the Netherlands Ruud Treffers, the Ambassador of
Spain Damaso de Lario, Ambassador/ Head of the delegation of the
European Commission Sabata Dela Monica and other senior diplomats
from the Embassies of Portugal, Finland and France.

"These projects are yours (Indonesian people) not the European
Union's, therefore participations of all stakeholders including
farmers and local community should be encouraged," Ambassador
Dela Monica told The Jakarta Post and Kompas.