Good Practice - Project
Reducing the effects of natural disasters in Kobylin
Introducing modern equipment to improve the water infrastructure in Kobylin and increase the climate change resilience of farms.
General information
RDP Priority
- P3. Food chain and risk management
RDP Focus Area
- 3B: Risk prevention & management
RDP Measure
- M05: Damage/restoration/prevention actions
Beneficiary type
- Non-governmental organisation
Summary
The main goal of the project was to modernise the equipment of the municipal water company in Kobylin, Poland. The company provides important drainage and maintenance services to around 100 farmers across the Krotoszyn district. However, recent climate change and more sudden weather changes required better equipment to continue protecting farmers and their land effectively against natural disasters, particularly with regard to flooding. The project co-funded the purchase of two agricultural tractors and a boom mower with a cutting head that enabled the water company to expand its services in preventing flooding, including cleaning and maintaining ditches and drainages and cutting out coastal vegetation that hindered the outflow of excessive water.
The project was successful in ensuring that the technical conditions and standards of the existing water facilities were met and maintained to a high quality, effectively protecting the watercourse and preventing the flooding of farms in the future.
Results
- The new equipment significantly increased the scope of comprehensive drainage works and maintenance services of devices and water infrastructure on farms that the municipal water company can provide to farmers across the Krotoszyn district.
- Improved organisational capacities of the municipal water company through the preparation of an action plan for the rational use of existing equipment.
- Improved operational conditions and standards of the water facilities that protect farms from the effects of unfavourable climatic events.
Promoter
The municipal water company in Kobylin (Gminna Spółka Wodna w Kobylinie)
Funding
Total budget: 622 300 (EUR)
RDP support: 492 000 (EUR)
Other sources: 130 300 (EUR)
Resources
Documents
Good Practice Report - Reducing the effects of natural disasters in Kobylin
(PDF – 1.38 MB)
Context
The Polish municipal water company in Kobylin, Wielkopolskie voivodship, manages water in drained areas and maintains and operates water drainage devices. It serves approximately 200km2 of mainly agricultural land in the Krotoszyn district and provides services that ensure ditches, drains, field roads, riverbeds and buffer zones are kept in good condition. The company's shareholders consist of over 100 farmers who expect the water company to take care of their fields and protect their land from water damage in a professional and effective manner.
Over recent years, climate change and sudden weather changes created the need for better preparation and increased maintenance of agricultural land to minimise the impact of negative atmospheric phenomena on crops.
In Kobylin, the municipal water company usually performed its role very well. However, increasingly frequent and sudden rainfalls over recent years showed weaknesses in the water company’s equipment. While the existing equipment enabled the company to carry out work to a minimum extent, it was increasingly difficult to attend to more specialised drainage work. It was, therefore, necessary to expand the company’s fleet of equipment with a number of more efficient machines. The problem was the expensive purchase and maintenance of such machinery, which required the necessary support from public-sector funds.
Objectives
The overall aim of the project was to protect agricultural land from flooding and/or excessive moisture caused by floods or heavy rains. Additionally, it was hoped that improved maintenance of the drained agricultural areas would provide the farms with water during drought periods.
The main operational objective was to supply the municipal water company in Kobylin with the relevant equipment to address the increased maintenance requirements and ensure that the appropriate technical conditions and standards were effectively upheld.
The purchase of the equipment aimed to modernise the existing fleet and thereby expand the range of drainage services that the water company could deliver.
Activities
Both the municipal water company's employees and shareholding farmers were involved in the planning and implementation of the project activities, including designing plans and schedules for project implementation to ensure that the new equipment would be used optimally.
The main activities of the project commenced with the preparation of an action plan related to the purchase of equipment and the expansion of activities and services provided to over 100 farmers. This was followed by the development of the funding application containing a detailed justification of the planned activities for submission to the Polish Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture.
Once the project was approved, the key project activities involved procuring and purchasing two agricultural tractors and a specialised boom mower with a mowing head. Finally, the new equipment was adapted to the municipal water company's specific needs and integrated into the existing equipment park.
Main results
- Modernised equipment park of the municipal water company.
- The new equipment significantly increased the scope of comprehensive drainage works and maintenance services of devices and water infrastructure on farms that the Municipal Water Company can provide to farmers across the Krotoszyn district.
- Improved organisational capacities of the municipal water company through the preparation of an action plan for the rational use of existing equipment.
- Improved operational conditions and standards of the water facilities that protect farms from the effects of unfavourable climatic events.
- The provision of the important agricultural water management services by the municipal water company can now be performed more effectively throughout the entire area leading to much improved and more climate change resilient land areas. This would not have been possible if each farm had acted on its own accord.
Key lessons
- The basic lesson for the participating farmers was the realisation that they can count on public support in matters such as climate change and water management. In the context of increasingly frequent natural disasters, it is vitally important that farmers appreciate the positive effects of specific assistance and the increased protection of their farms.
- An important conclusion from the project is that farmers, who are shareholders of the company, noticed that the positive effects of their joint action could not have been achieved individually. The purchase of modern equipment also had a positive effect on the coordination of drainage works, maintenance of water equipment and infrastructure on all farms. The introduction of modern equipment improved the efficiency and rationality of operations.
Contact Information
Tel: +48 504232663