site.btaAgriculture Minister, World Bank Regional Director Discuss Possible Collaboration

Meeting with Sameh Wahba, Regional Director for Sustainable Development at the Europe and Central Asia Region in the World Bank, Bulgaria's Agriculture and Food Minister Kiril Vatev said that mapping out an Irrigation Strategy is an important priority of his Ministry. Vatev said irrigation and drainage form a crucial part of agricultural development and a National Irrigation Strategy is needed that includes more efficient water use, the Agriculture Ministry said.

Wahba said the meeting was an occasion to resume the dialogue between the World Bank and the Agriculture Ministry. He told Vatev the World Bank works with more than 190 countries and has active projects in place to modernize irrigation systems, reduce water loss and circulate water resources.

Lasse Melgaard, World Bank Resident Representative for Bulgaria, Czechia and Slovakia, attended the meeting.