BergerWorld: 4th Quarter 2005

The tiny village of Mozdivnjak, nestled in a mountainous region close to the Bulgarian border, is a picture-postcard of rural Macedonia. Villagers in this remote area still rely on traditional methods of farming and irrigation to grow a variety of vegetables, grains, nuts and fruit. Although the people of Mozdivnjak have a long history of cultivating the land, agricultural potential has been constrained by water shortages and limited irrigation.

Under the $21 million United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Community Self-Help Initiative (CSHI), the Berger Group has assisted local communities in planning and implementing projects to foster self-determination at the community level and promote economic development. To date, CSHI has worked with local communities in 90 percent of

Macedonia's municipalities, completing more than 318 projects, including 68 water-related projects.

In Mozdivnjak, Berger engineers evaluated irrigation needs, surveyed the mountainous area around the town and prepared detailed designs for the construction of a new irrigation system, including intakes, trenches and more than 8,600 meters of pipes. Once the designs were completed, Berger provided construction supervision and technical assistance to community volunteers who excavated trenches, prepared fields and assisted contractors in installing pipes. Transporting the construction material to the remote site presented a major challenge to the Team. To facilitate the delivery of crucial supplies, Berger worked with community members to use mules and donkeys to transport materials and equipment during construction. In the first season after completion, farmers in the area were able to cultivate 50 percent more produce, increasing rural incomes and opening the door to future community-based agricultural projects.