Dominican republic announces $476.9 million irrigation investment to combat drought
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José Ignacio Paliza, the Minister of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic, presented a plan to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to address agricultural droughts, and announced the government will invest $476.9 million in irrigation through 2033.
Paliza shared the Dominican Republic’s strategies at the Rome Dialogue on Water, joining representatives from Ghana, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia to discuss resilience against droughts.
The government has already trained over 6,800 farmers and technicians between 2022 and 2026 in water management and agricultural production techniques. Approximately 100,000 farmers currently cultivate around five million tareas, a traditional Dominican unit of land measurement, using irrigation. The Dominican Republic plans to expand hydraulic infrastructure and adopt technologies to improve water use efficiency, focusing on projects like the Monte Grande dam and initiatives in Guaigüí and Guayubín.
Paliza also detailed the National Plan for Preparation and Anticipatory Actions against Agricultural Drought 2026-2027, developed with nearly 40 institutions. This plan uses weather forecasts and satellite data to identify risks and proactively implement measures, including preventative maintenance of wells and reservoirs and the creation of community seed banks.
The country also works with the World Bank and the FAO to improve irrigation in the area influenced by the Yaque del Sur River, aiming to benefit over 34,000 farmers across 72,000 hectares.
