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ADB IS working closely with local communities to strengthen traditional water groups and rehabilitate irrigations systems in Aceh and Nias.

“The direct involvement of communities through the water users associations ensure local ownership, which translates to better and more sustainable irrigation systems,” said Pieter Smidt, Head of ADB’s Extended Mission for Sumatra, during a recent visit to an irrigation scheme being rehabilitated with ADB support. “This method also ensures that the reconstruction takes into account farmers’ needs.”

ADB is providing $31.5 million, through BRR, the Aceh and Nias Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Agency of the Indonesian government, to rehabilitate and reconstruct irrigation systems in Aceh and Nias following the 2004 Tsunami.

The assistance is part of a $291 million ADB grant that is helping to rebuild the areas devastated by the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami.

More than 70,000 farming families, and 72,000 hectares of farms, will benefit from the irrigation initiative. ADB previously provided $68 million to rehabilitate irrigation systems in Aceh and four other provinces through the Northern Sumatra Irrigated Agriculture Sector Project, which ran from 2002 to 2005.

“We are very proud that we have been entrusted to rehabilitate a section of our irrigation scheme” according to Hazairin, the Head of Putra Baruna water users associations in Krueng Tuan, Aceh Utara.

Many farming communities in Aceh have traditionally had strong water user groups called Keujruen Blang. The ADB grant is helping 450 water user associations to enhance their role in operating and maintaining irrigation systems, as well as water resource management at the river basin level.

“Preparation of community-based irrigation reconstruction requires time to ensure that the communities can have a meaningful input to the design and construction phase and to build ownership,” said Eddy Purwanto, BRR’s Chief Operating Officer. “A total of 75 contracts financed by ADB were signed in late 2006 and work is now progressing on most schemes. The early experience looks very positive and we will award a lot more community-based contracts this year.”

Mr. Smidt, who has overseen ADB’s reconstruction efforts in Aceh and Nias, noted the effective collaboration of local government agencies, design and implementation consultants, as well as Bina Swadaya, a non-government organization focusing on community facilitation. He added that it is vital to recognize the importance of women in irrigation agriculture.

“Women play a crucial role in various farming activities in Aceh as well as other parts of Indonesia,” said Mr. Smidt. “Special efforts are needed to ensure that they can participate in programs supporting agriculture while taking into account the local cultural context.”

ADB's multi-sector tsunami for Indonesia assistance package covers agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, micro and small enterprise development, housing, water and sanitation, health, education, transport, power, spatial planning and environmental management, and fiduciary oversight.

The $291 million ADB grant, which includes a $1 million contribution from the Government of Luxembourg, is financing the Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project (ETESP) to support disaster management, reconstruction and rehabilitation in affected areas of Aceh and North Sumatra. In addition, ADB has contributed a $10 million grant to the MultiDonor Fund for Aceh and Nias.

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