The start of a 25 million euro investment in the third phase of the “Strajshtë” irrigation system was marked today in Piravë, in the Municipality of Vallandovë. The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, Borçe Serafimovski, said the project would cover 1,500 hectares of farmland and meet the needs of around 6,000 farmers.
According to Serafimovski, the project includes a 70-kilometer network of pressurized pipes, around 500 hydrants and a new pumping station.
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The minister explained that the infrastructure would make drip irrigation possible, allow more precise water application and enable more economical water use. This would give growers greater control over crop cultivation, as well as conditions for more stable yields and higher-quality production, especially during the dry periods of the year.
The project also provides for advice and practical training for farmers. They will receive professional guidance on using the system efficiently and adapting irrigation to soil characteristics and moisture levels, weather conditions and crop needs. Serafimovski stressed that this knowledge would help farmers make better use of the new infrastructure.
He added that, through the project, the government is supporting long-term investment in farms. More stable production, he said, would create opportunities for better earnings for farmers and for the development of processing, storage and trade, bringing wider economic benefits to the Vallandovë region.
The “Strajshtë” irrigation system builds on the first two phases of the “Vardar Valley” project and continues the partnership with the German development bank KfW.
Prime Minister Prof. Dr. Hristijan Mickoski and the mayor of the Municipality of Vallandovë, Gjoko Kamçev, also attended the event.
