In Amhara SMIS in cooperation with the Bureau of Water, Irrigation and Energy Development and the Bureau of Agriculture supports the consultants that carry out the Feasibility Studies and Design for 20 newly identified AGP irrigation schemes. The consultants and Partner Institution experts joined a workshop in which the Participatory Irrigation Design and Management was explained and discussed. The consultants agreed to follow the PIDM approach, especially in the 4 SMIS Amhara pilot schemes. In each of these pilot schemes a Farmer Technical Committee (Design Review Committee) was established and trained, and from the very start the field investigations always included the members of this Committee. The latest step was the joint evaluation and approval of the draft designs, which was so successful that all participants: farmers, consultants and Partner Institution experts were very enthusiastic. The Amhara SMIS team was asked to support joint evaluation of draft designs for an additional, non-pilot scheme, an invitation we were happy to accept. The Amhara Team is confident that further steps in the PIDM approach will be successfully field tested.
