Irrigation systems may increase Ukraine's GDP by UAH 8.8 bln: Accounting Chamber

Ukraine's GDP has the potential to increase by more than 0.2%, or UAH 8.8 bln if the entire irrigated area was covered by operational sprinkling systems, the Accounting Chamber audit results read.

More than UAH 23 bln from all sources of funding was spent on ensuring the development of land reclamation and improving the environmental condition of irrigated and drained land as part of the implementation of the Programme during 2013-20.

Crops were produced on an area of 23.9 thou. ha, or an average of 3 thou. ha annually, which corresponds to 98.4% of the target figure. At the same time, reconstruction of the engineering infrastructure of irrigation systems was carried out only on 13% of the planned area, drip irrigation systems have been constructed and reconstructed on 43.1% of the area, 12% of the planned irrigation equipment was purchased.

Engineering infrastructure of drainage systems was rebuilt on 27% of the area, 23.4% of rural settlements infrastructure was secured, and 61.2% of water quality indicators were measured.

The audit found that only 43.4% of the required number of sprinkler machines to service irrigated land in the Southern region is provided. Only 46.9% of the available pumping stations is operational and 84% is depreciated.

18.7 mln ha (60%) of Ukraine's arable land requires permanent irrigation and 4.8 mln ha (15%) requires temporary irrigation to ensure a deficit-free annual water balance.

Previously Agrarian Minister Roman Leshchenko stated that more than 60% of cropland in Ukraine is located in an area of risky agriculture.