Ukraine and the United States strengthen cooperation in the field of land reclamation
21 January 2026, 16:30
Despite the martial law, international partners are working side by side with Ukraine to ensure food security, according to the Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy.
In particular, cooperation is underway to form water user associations, effectively regulate their activities, and stimulate the development of irrigation in Ukraine.
Irrigation reform in Ukraine began thanks to the Law of Ukraine «On Water User Organisations and the Promotion of Hydrotechnical Land Reclamation,» which was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on 17 February 2022, following a proposal by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy.
As of early 2026, 73 water user organisations have been established in 14 regions of Ukraine, 19 of which were established in 2025. At the same time, most WUs face systemic challenges, ranging from a lack of technical capacity to a lack of knowledge, particularly regarding procedures for preparing documentation and transferring engineering infrastructure.
In addition to government agencies, the creation of a favourable national environment for investment in the Ukrainian agricultural sector and the expansion of farmers' access to comprehensive support and training services in the field of hydraulic engineering and land reclamation is also supported by the AGRO Agricultural and Rural Development Programme, funded by the US Government.
With the support of the Agricultural and Rural Development Programme (AGRO), the Association of Water Users Organisations (AWUO) has launched a project aimed at strengthening the institutional and technical capacity of water user organisations (WUOs) in Ukraine and introducing modern approaches to the management of irrigation infrastructure. This project will contribute to the development of a long-term partnership between Ukraine and the United States in the field of hydraulic reclamation.
Within the framework of the project, agricultural producers will receive comprehensive consulting assistance on the creation of water user organisations, their activities, engineering infrastructure management and ensuring financial sustainability.
A separate area of focus will be a professional training programme for irrigation managers, aimed at improving the efficiency of irrigation systems and long-term planning for their development.
Experts from the OVC Association will also conduct technical audits of the irrigation networks of 25 agricultural producers and 5 water user organisations and develop individual solutions for their modernisation.
An important component of the project will be the establishment of professional cooperation with American manufacturers of irrigation equipment, as well as suppliers of service and management solutions. This will provide Ukrainian agricultural producers with access to modern technologies and best international practices that are widely used in the United States.
The implementation of the project will contribute to accelerating the restoration of Ukraine's land reclamation infrastructure, which, according to experts, is approximately 80% worn out, and will also create the conditions for its sustainable development.
The development of hydraulic reclamation is of strategic importance for Ukraine's agro-industrial complex. Since the start of the full-scale war, irrigated areas have significantly decreased: while 525,000 hectares were irrigated in 2021, only 137,000 hectares will be irrigated in 2024. At the same time, according to the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the potential for restoring irrigation in Ukraine is at least 1 million hectares. It is thanks to the support of international partners, in particular the US Government, that Ukraine has the opportunity to realise this potential.
At the same time, for reference, we note that in continuation of the irrigation and land reclamation reform, in November 2025, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy recommended that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopt in the second reading and as a whole the draft law on amendments to certain legislative acts regarding the improvement of the management system of state-owned irrigation systems (registry No. 7577). The draft law provides for a modern model of management of state irrigation systems, as well as improvement of the activities of water user organisations.