PLANET, leading the “Training Services for Drainage Boards (DBs)” project for Albania- funded by the World Bank, successfully implemented a five days Study Visit from 23rd to 28th of May 2016 in northern Spain, for representatives of the Albanian Public Authorities at the premises of the Ministry of Agriculture of Spain and the Aula Dei Experimental Station of CSIC (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas) in the area of Zaragoza.

The team of Albanian high-level public employees, consisted of representatives of MARDWA, Drainage Boards, Local Government Units, met with major Spanish authorities, public and private, involved in the design, elaboration, organisation, implementation and management of Irrigation and Drainage Systems in the Ebro River Basin (Zaragoza area).

The visit included meetings with the Deputy General Secretary of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, the Director, the Legal advisor and the Head of the ICT Department of Communidad General de Riegos del Alto Aragón, representatives of Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas and involved companies such as CINGRAL, Riegozalz and EINAR on-site.

The aim of the visit was for the Albanian High level officials to meet with their Spanish counterparts, discuss matters of common interest, exchange know-how and views on current trends, and visit irrigation projects either under exploitation or under construction.

The participants especially commended on the quality of the programme and the organization of the visit. They described the study visit as extremely useful and expressed their wish to extend such innitiatives.