Building on positive results achieved from past IOM projects in Azerbaijan and the positive impact of implemented Kahriz rehabilitation projects on beneficiary livelihoods, IOM is implementing the Kahriz Rehabilitation project in western regions of Azerbaijan with funding from the Korea Agency for International Cooperation. 

The project’s overall objective is to contribute to the prevention of forced economic migration by enhancing access of rural communities in Azerbaijan to energy free water resources as a means to increase agriculture productivity and livelihoods through provision of water infrastructure, by providing opportunities for income generating activities in link with Kahriz renovation. The project continues to implement a community-driven approach, paying specific attention to cross-cutting issues such as gender, governance and environmental sustainability.

This project will be implemented under 3 different but closely connected approaches. These are Kahrizes rehabilitation, Irrigation water channels restoration and Capacity building of communities and Kankans. IOM aims at optimizing water use and agriculture production through the development of necessary infrastructure facilities, water sharing schemes. The agricultural productivity and job creation will be encouraged with the increase in irrigation available. The sustainability of Kahriz systems as well as irrigation channels will be ensured by the formation of community based Water User Committees (WUCs), which will be actively involved in the renovation process. The local government will be involved and supported for appropriate policy development on protection and future care and maintenance of the Kahrizes and irrigation channels.  

The project will be implemented over a period of 2 years and a half starting from July 2010 to December 2012