In addition, operational responsibilities were decentralized and the irrigation infrastructure was transferred to local water user associations (WUA); a key requirement for the financing provided by IBRD (World Bank).

The locally prioritized improvement plans by the WUAs delivered the rehabilitation of the irrigation system supplying water to 427 100 hectares of farmland. The reduction in leakage in the system coupled with improved on-farm water management made 1 183 million m3 of water available for use and directly benefitted 1.1 million irrigation farmers.