Why this is worth reading today

On 25 February the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the second reading and in full draft law No. 7577, which prepares the second stage of the melioration reform. The document was supported by 229 members of parliament. This is not just a legal tweak — it is a tool for returning critical infrastructure to operation, which amid climate challenges and post-war reconstruction can become a key to a stable agricultural sector.

What the law changes

The law allows the creation of state operators of reclamation systems in the form of state non-commercial enterprises. Such operators will have financial autonomy, will be able to attract investment and plan activities for longer terms.

It is proposed to include representatives of farmers and other water users on the operators' supervisory boards — an attempt to combine state management with the interests of those who directly use the water.

One of the key principles is preserving the integrity of the reclamation infrastructure so that local changes do not break systems that operate at the regional scale.

Tariffs and investments

Water tariffs for irrigation are introduced in two components: a fixed part for connection to the system and a variable part for the volume of water consumed. The tariff will also include an investment component intended to ensure ongoing repairs and network modernization.

Context and scale

This continues a reform that began earlier: on 17 February 2022 the parliament adopted a law on land irrigation that allowed water users to unite into associations and take systems onto their balance sheets. The first irrigation networks began to be transferred to farmers' management at the end of 2023.

The government has ambitious targets: according to the Cabinet's plan of 25 March, by 2050 the area of irrigated land should grow from the current ~136,000 ha to 700,000–750,000 ha. Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Vitaliy Koval noted that about 1.5 million hectares in the country need irrigation.

“In Ukraine, 1.5 million hectares of agricultural land need irrigation, and this area must grow”

— Vitaliy Koval, Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food

“Without effective irrigation, Ukraine risks losing up to half of its agricultural production”

— All-Ukrainian Agrarian Council

What this means in practice

For farmers: two-part tariffs mean a predictable base fee for access to the network and flexibility in paying for actual consumption; the investment component should increase supply reliability but may raise costs in the short term.

For investors and donors: the emergence of state-form operators with financial autonomy makes projects clearer and more attractive for long-term investments in modernization.

For the state: the law creates a framework for restoring critical infrastructure, which enhances food security and the resilience of the agricultural sector in the face of climate risks and post-war reconstruction.

Conclusion

The parliament's decision is an important step, but the real effect will depend on implementation: how quickly operators build capacity, how transparently tariff mechanisms operate, and whether system integrity is preserved during transfers of management. The next stage is to turn this legislative tool into concrete investments and repairs in the fields. Whether we can use this opportunity to genuinely restore irrigation is a question for practice, not declarations.