Two of MCC's founding principles are country ownership and a focus on results. These principles lead MCC to support investments that reflect countries' own priorities for poverty reduction, and offer the most promise for returns in terms of increased incomes. MCC empowers partner countries to prioritize investments that address the most binding constraints to economic growth and poverty reduction. Many partner countries'including not only governments but citizens, civil society organizations and private enterprises'have prioritized irrigation projects for MCC investment. These investments seek to increase rural incomes by improving agricultural productivity and access to markets, and to enhance food security by expanding local food supplies and creating new income opportunities.