Sustainable Water Supply for Agriculture Development Roll-Out Quarterly Report

The project is funded by USAID and focuses on the Kherson Oblast region. Key objectives include mobilizing and establishing rural community commitment and engagement in water resource management, and enhancing public-private dialogue by improving citizen oversight and engagement in policy formulation and decision making at the oblast administration level. During the second quarter of FY15 (January 22, 2015 to March 31, 2015), AMDI accomplished several tasks, including developing and reviewing project communications, branding, and monitoring and evaluation plans. The project team also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Kherson Oblast State Administration, which is accompanied by a letter of support and approved procurement plan. Additionally, the project team established a selection commission to review bids for pilot projects and developed evaluation criteria for bids selection in operation areas. The project's renovation and development of water distribution systems in rural and agriculture areas is ongoing, with the selection of pilots in operation areas completed and results reported to USAID. The project team has also signed Memorandums of Cooperation with the Kherson Oblast Administration and developed evaluation criteria for selection of sites in the Kherson oblast. Furthermore, a selection commission was established by the order of the Head of the Department of Agricultural Development of the Kherson Oblast State Administration. The project's dissemination of information and capacity building for implementation of sustainable water supply model in rural and agriculture areas is also ongoing. Regular publications and media coverage are in place, with the project webpage on the AMDI website providing regular information on the project's tasks, activities, and events. The project web pages were developed on the AMDI website and Facebook, and are updated on a regular basis.