Last Thursday, Le Van Minh, director general of the External Finance Department, and Edouard Danjoy, Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) director in Viet Nam, signed a technical assistance agreement on institutional improvement for Viet Nam’s centre for Participatory Irrigation Management at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Most of the project’s funding comes from France.

The project will last three years and aims to improve the process of infrastructure investment by strengthening the beneficiaries’ involvement in its management, particularly its sustainability and efficiency.

The project, which includes consultancy services in preparation of Participatory Irrigation Management (PIM) action, will set up a Water Users Associations and support it with training and capacity building with associated training for the local staff of the agriculture extension services and irrigation management companies.

Overall the programme will focus on the development of strategies and regulations, implementation guidelines, a training plan, as well as provide advice on participation and co-ordination with national PIM networks, according to ADF.

This is the 16th project funded by AFD in the agriculture sector, their net ODA commitments towards Viet Nam now totals $968 million.

On this occasion, Edouard Danjoy was awarded the Friendship Medal for Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam by Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat.