Despite the state of war, international partners stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine to ensure food security, as reported by the Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy, agronews.ua writes.
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In particular, cooperation is taking place in the direction of forming associations of water users, effective regulation of their activities, and stimulating the development of irrigation in Ukraine.
The reformation of irrigation in Ukraine started with the Law of Ukraine “On the organization of water users and stimulation of hydraulic land reclamation,” which was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on February 17, 2022, upon the submission of the Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy of the Verkhovna Rada.
As of the beginning of 2026, 73 water user organizations have been established in 14 regions of Ukraine, with 19 created in 2025. However, most of these organizations face systemic challenges – from a lack of technical capacity to a shortage of knowledge, particularly regarding documentation procedures and the transfer of engineering infrastructure.
In addition to government bodies, the creation of a favorable national environment for investment in the Ukrainian agricultural sector and expanding farmers’ access to comprehensive support services and training in the field of hydraulic land reclamation is also supported by the Agricultural and Rural Development Program AGRO, funded by the US Government.
With the support of the Agricultural and Rural Development Program – AGRO, the Association of Water User Organizations (AWUO) has launched a project aimed at enhancing the institutional and technical capacity of water user organizations (WUOs) in Ukraine and implementing modern approaches to managing reclamation infrastructure. This project will contribute to the development of a long-term partnership between Ukraine and the USA in the field of hydraulic land reclamation.
Under the project, farmers will receive comprehensive advisory support in creating water user organizations, their activities, infrastructure management, and ensuring financial stability.
A separate direction will be a professional training program for irrigation managers aimed at increasing the efficiency of operating reclamation systems and long-term planning for their development.
AWUO experts will also conduct technical audits of reclamation networks for 25 farmers and 5 water user organizations and develop individual solutions for their modernization.
An important component of the project will be establishing professional cooperation with American irrigation equipment manufacturers, as well as suppliers of service and management solutions. This will provide Ukrainian farmers with access to modern technologies and best global practices widely used in the USA.
The project’s implementation will accelerate the restoration of Ukraine’s reclamation infrastructure, which, according to experts’ estimates, has a wear level of about 80%, and create conditions for its sustainable development.
The development of hydraulic land reclamation is strategically important for Ukraine’s agro-industrial complex. Since the start of the full-scale war, the irrigated areas have significantly decreased: if 525 thousand hectares were irrigated in 2021, then in 2024, only 137 thousand hectares were irrigated. However, according to the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture of Ukraine, the potential for restoring irrigation in Ukraine is at least 1 million hectares. Thanks to the support of international partners, including the US Government, Ukraine has the opportunity to realize this potential.