A delegation comprising Chairman of the Water Committee (WC) Aramazd Ghalamkaryan, WC Vice Chairmen Karen Daghbashyan and Nvard Vardanyan, Deputy Director of the Armenia Territorial Development Fund Ashot Khachatryan, and Vahe Mambreyan, representative of the "Irrigated Agriculture Development in Ararat and Armavir Marzes" (IADAAM) project, paid a working visit to Portugal on September 13–18.

The visit was conducted under the water component of the IADAAM project. The delegation visited Portuguese irrigation management and maintenance bodies. Specifically, at Portugal's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DGADR), the team learned about irrigation system management regulations, water user authorities, and mechanisms ensuring financial sustainability and efficient water supply.

In the city of Beja, the Armenian delegation visited the area of the Alqueva Dam—one of Portugal’s strategically important major reservoirs, capable of meeting the country's water demand for up to three years even under drought conditions.

The delegation met with representatives from the Empresa de Desenvolvimento e Infra-estruturas do Alqueva (EDIA). Through the mechanisms introduced by the company, agricultural land use efficiency in Portugal has increased significantly, leaving almost no uncultivated land.

The delegation subsequently visited local Water User Associations (WUAs) to examine their operational organization, financial management, evaluation approaches, and the sector's legal and regulatory framework. Discussions focused on mechanisms for ensuring WUA financial sustainability, tariff setting and fee collection for irrigation services, and providing timely, adequate water supply.

During the meetings and field visits, the Armenian side was introduced to practices for managing and operating canals, pumping stations, and other irrigation infrastructure.

The Armenian delegation also gained insight into the activities of FENAREG, Portugal's National Federation of Irrigation Associations. The federation represents the interests of water users at both national and international levels, conducts sectoral studies and research, and offers technical assistance to its members.

The visit of the Water Committee's leadership was followed by an orientation visit from September 20–25 by heads of individual WC departments, aimed at observing Portuguese irrigation system management and operation approaches firsthand and deepening their study of sectoral expertise.