Colorado State University Irrigation Project to Explore Water Resources in Indonesia

A one-year irrigation study headed by a Colorado State University associate professor will explore sustainable water resource development and management practices in Indonesia starting in May.

Ramchand Oad from the department of chemical and bioresource engineering will be principal investigator on the project, funded by the Asian Development Bank in Manila, Phillippines. Oad will lead a team of three international and seven Indonesian scientists covering multiple aspects of irrigated agriculture. Sites for the study include Sumatra, Java and Eastern Islands.

"We’ll be studying economic, social, political and environmental points of view in sustainable agriculture in Indonesia," Oad said. "All levels, including beneficiaries, must be involved in formulating and carrying through with irrigation strategies in the region. Competition is fierce for water resources, and agriculture can no longer afford to use or degrade massive amounts of water, so we hope to create strategic plans that will benefit the country well into the future."

The project will evaluate past investment and management strategies of the Indonesian government, and recommend policy reforms for more sustainable irrigation development and management. The study also will recommend methods for water users to share costs of development, operation and maintenance of water resources.

The Consortium for International Development, which recently finalized negotiations with the Asian Development Bank in Manilla, will be the contracting agency on the project.

The project is sponsored by the National Economic Planning and Development Board and the Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources in Indonesia.

For further information, contact Oad at (970) 491-7682.