São Paulo – The Brazilian government visited irrigation projects in Morocco and Spain with the objective of bringing back to the country knowledge of different global experiences in the segment. The Brazilian secretary for Irrigation at the Brazilian Ministry of National Integration, Guilherme Costa, visited the Arab country in the first four days of this month and saw up close the project in the Taroudant region, East of Agadir. The mission was promoted by the World Bank.
“They are heroes, they plant in a difficult soil, in a difficult climate, they are hardworking, engaged, I was in awe with what they are doing with the resources they have,” the secretary told ANBA in an interview. Costa says that the irrigation project he has visited was sponsored by the Moroccan government. The producers who benefit from it also contribute financially, but the system is primarily supported by the public sector.
The crops in the region are predominantly of citrus fruit. However, some other products such as greens are also grown there. The secretary says that Morocco and Brazil share some similarities in the distribution of wealth, therefore the Moroccan experience can be used in Brazil. “Sometimes the government needs to contribute without getting anything in return,” he said.
Costa stayed from September 28th to 30th in the other country he visited, Spain, and there the projects are developed in a partnership between government and private enterprises. In one of the regions he visited, first the rural producers organized the project, then the government made the investments and later the project was passed on to private enterprises for improvement, maintenance etc. The producers pay a fee to use it. “We believe we need to have solutions to cater to several segments, this irrigation model needs to be in our portfolio,” said Costa about the Spanish system.
Currently there are six million hectares of irrigated land in Brazil, 95% of which are owned by private enterprises and 5% by the public sector. The government’s goal, according to the secretary, is to double this area in ten years’ time. Public-private partnerships are considered another option for this expansion, but Costa says different models are needed for each segment. Brazil’s irrigation projects span several regions, such as Northeast, Southeast, South and Midwest.
The mission Costa took part in also had officials from other countries: Uruguay, Argentina, Peru and Guatemala. A similar trip, this time to Peru, should take place next March. The World Bank wants to create a forum for international debate and knowledge exchange in the area.
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
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