Mirjana Popovic, Public Information Services Assistant in the
World Bank Belgrade Office, offers this story. One-third of
Aleksandar Tisma's land used to be too wet to farm. "Of the 178
hectares that I own, 50 hectares were practically impossible to
cultivate. No machinery could work on flooded soil," says Tisma,
a farmer from small town in Vojvodina. But since the water that
once flooded his wheat and maize farm is now drained away
through a repaired drainage canal, things have changed. "Now,
after the repair of the canal, I can cultivate that part of my
land as well!," he says. Tisma is one of many farmers who have
reclaimed land and increased yields near rivers or canals thanks
to repaired drainage canals and improved flood protection.
Around Serbia, more than 160,000 hectares have been protected
from flooding, and over 300,000 people have directly benefitted
from the Irrigation and Drainage Rehabilitation project,
supported by a $75 million World Bank loan. The project aims to
reduce the chances of people