Background
The Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MOWRAM) is responsible for managing national irrigation infrastructure and coordinating provincial water-resource agencies to support agricultural water supply and resource governance. The Kangkhat irrigation rehabilitation under WAT4CAM_Phase1 provides irrigation benefits to 902 households in villages served by Blocks A and B, and to 532 households in areas served by Blocks C and D in Battambang province.
WAT4CAM_Phase1 is a program focused on water-resource management and agricultural transformation that includes repair and transfer of local irrigation assets to provincial and community authorities. Provincial departments, technical advisers and local water-user communities are established stakeholders for post-construction operation and maintenance within the program’s institutional arrangements.
Key Developments
On 11 June 2026 Secretary of State Chan Yuttha presided over the formal handover of the rehabilitated Kangkhat irrigation systems (Blocks A, B, C and D) in Battambang province. The ceremony recorded participation from the Director-General of Agricultural Irrigation, the provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology, deputy directors for community water-user management, national and international technical advisers, the WAT4CAM_Phase1 project management unit, and multiple local authorities.
Institutional Role
MOWRAM represented by the Secretary of State acted on behalf of Minister Thao Jedtha in the transfer, underscoring the ministry’s role in coordinating central-level programs and facilitating provincial implementation. The provincial Department of Water Resources and Meteorology and community water-user organizations are the primary operational partners for managing the rehabilitated Kangkhat systems after transfer.
Operational Implications
At the handover event MOWRAM urged provincial departments and farming communities to cooperate in regular maintenance and joint management of the irrigation infrastructure to support efficient and sustainable water use. The transfer of Blocks A–D formalises local responsibility for routine upkeep and water allocation consistent with WAT4CAM_Phase1 program arrangements.
