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No. 2 (13) January 2003



ABOUT ICWC TRAINING CENTER ACTIVITY

During period 21-25 of January 2003 seminar on course “Improvement of irrigated agriculture in Central Asia” was held in ICWC Training Center.

Conduction of this seminar is caused by increasing necessity of disseminating available practical and research knowledge accumulated in world practice and directly in five states of Central Asia in conditions of transition to market relations in agriculture and water management. Low water availability of recent years underlines necessity of immediate introduction of water saving technologies and integrated water resources management.

Seminar program and thematic of reports were ratified by ICWC and oriented on creation of conditions for exchange of experience in advanced approaches to solution of irrigated agriculture problems between experts-practicians and scientists of high and middle level from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Seminar participants were experts from water management organizations, agricultural enterprises, research institutes, non-governmental organizations of CAR countries.

Training program assumed exchange of opinions on problems associated within framework of 5 modules:

  • General issues of irrigated agriculture;
  • Economy of irrigated agriculture;
  • Irrigation;
  • Reclamation;
  • Software for irrigation management.

On seminar opening ceremony First Deputy Ministry of Agriculture and Water Management of Uzbekistan, Water Department Head, A.A. Djalalov and SIC ICWC Director V.A. Dukhovny greeted participants.

Director of Tashkent Office at International Water Management Institute over Central Asia and Caucasus V. Khorinkova took part in seminar work and presented her report.

In opinion of seminar participants, this training promotes better understanding of existing problems, allows students to systematize own knowledge as well as widen their outlook. Also usefulness of information submitted by reporters for development of specific measures on improving organization of management and irrigation systems’ operation has been noted. Data obtained during discussions, which relate to routine activity of water experts, enhanced awareness of national features of water users associations’ formation, development of water tariffs and management framework. Training provided opportunity of better understanding of financial-economic situation in water sector, technical equipment completion, and general situation in reclamation as well as features of zoning irrigation methods, assessment of water use efficiency in irrigated agriculture, and also making proper decisions.

Participants noted necessity of activating work on forestation of ideas of careful water use as well as wider and consecutive introduction in practice of advanced water saving methods in irrigated agriculture.

In result of discussions it was defined that transition to market relations in irrigated agriculture, which happens unevenly in CAR states, nevertheless, has common for all states problems: agriculture restructuring, water resources deficit, aging of irrigation and drainage networks, land and water quality aggravation caused by salinity.

Seminar participants expressed understanding of features geopolitical, economical, and social changes happening in region. Necessity of comprehensive and ubiquitous development of new approaches to direct and joint participation of all water use hierarchic levels (from the field to the basin) in water resources management, broader involvement of farmers, water users associations in measures on irrigation systems’ O&M was expressed regarding above mentioned. It was underlined that interstate sharing in water management objects maintenance in upstream of flow formation can be provided in case of agreed regime of flow regulation between water users located appropriately flow formation upstream and downstream.

Simultaneously seminar participants emphasized availability of some still unsolved problems. They are:

  • Necessity of arranging documented registration of water transfer from country to country on interstate systems to avoid malinformation in water account.
  • Necessity of wide application of GIS methods and information systems in water resources management.

Seminar participants appraised report dedicated computer modeling in irrigated agriculture. Necessity of introducing modern information technologies into practice and promoting training on these advanced methods of organizing water resources management was noted. Inclusion of courses on computer work skill training in program of Training Center will promote above-mentioned measures. In the same time some participants asked to promote organization of proper technical equipment completion of all water management structures.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS OF ICWC COORDINATION METROLOGICAL CENTER

PKTI “Vodavtomatika and metrologiya” (CMC ICWC) within framework of project “IWRM-Fergana”and GEF project in 2002 following devices were developed, produced, and certified:

  • current meter (ÈÑÂ-1);
  • bin-level controller ÏÐÅÑ-Ì (ÓÅÌ);
  • gauge (ÐÓÃ);
  • control device for technological parameters (ÓÊÒÏ-2);

You can find detailed information in PKTI “ Vodavtomatika and metrologiya”:
720055, Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek, A. Toktonaliyev str., 4à.
Phone: (996 312) 54 11 50, Fax: (996 312) 54 11 56
E-mail: pkti@imfiko.bishkek.su

FINAL SEMINAR FOR 2002 UNDER PROJECT «IWRM-FERGANA»

According to plan of joint works on project “IWRM-Fegrana” Swiss international agency on development and cooperation (SDC), IWMI, SIC ICWC together conducted seminar-meeting with project partners, presenting all scope of water resources management hierarchy on four oblasts of three countries – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, including farmers, WUA, and WMO, representatives of BWO “Syrdarya” and MAWM of three parties, project staff and its beneficiaries, representatives from local administration and NGO, etc. –in total 80. Seminar took place in Osh on January 27-29, 2003.

On behalf of ICWC Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of Kyrgyz Republic, Water Department Director Zh.B. Bekbolotov, Deputy Governor of Osh oblst S.S. Atajanov, SDC Chief Expert J. Kraenbul have greeted the meeting.

Participants have heard review of project activity results for 2002 of SIC ICWC Prof. Director V.A. Dukhovny as well as results of each component activity of project structure of V. Khorinkova, M. Ul Khassan (IWMI), M.A. Pinkhasov, V.I. Sokolov, A.I. Tuchin, R.R. Masumov, Sh.Sh. Mukhamejanov, S.A. Nerozin (SIC ICWC).

Meeting moderators under presidency of Mrs. Fogt organized discussion on meeting results in three groups appropriately on canals management, WUA, and private farms, which allows making following conclusions:

1) In general project partners have successfully fulfilled project first year task.

2) Undoubted project achievement was successful organizational work, which provided entire inclusion of all project links in operation already from the start, in particular:

- project staff has been selected on bidding base with involvement of all countries, oblasts, organizations included on all project meeting;

- communication basis of works is provided with e-mail and computer equipment;

- training has been conducted, and ToR has been prepared for all project executors;

- financing system providing conduction of all measures without obstacles was organized;

- under MAWR of Kyrgyz Republic support ICWC Training Center Division was organized in Osh as well as field project office, which, being equipped already in May, started the work immediately and conducted 7 seminars with project partners and NGO during 2002;

- project activity is systematically highlighted in ICWC press-releases and on specially opened project web-site in Internet.

3) Project partners reached absolute mutual understanding and consensus between all concern parties over all basic project positions:

- IWRM concept for canals management, WUA formation and development has been worked out and coordinated;

- alternative structure for selected pilot canals and WUAs has been prepared and agreed;

- private farms’inventory, which allows identification of reserves in water-land productivity increase as well as water resources saving was conducted at all hierarchic level.

4) In the same time certain disadvantages were noted that should be amended and eliminated as soon as possible, in particular:

- in issues of juridical coordination;

- in creation of information system;

- related proposals on water use improvement;

- amplify command areas of pilot canals and water demand;

- install water metering devices;

- define ways of operational losses’reduction.

5) The meeting has discussed project of actions for 2003 and approved it in general.

If 2002nd year was the year of search and coordination of solutions and measures, which should be realized in life, so 2003rd year is the year of basic actions, which will cause effectiveness and results of IWRM introduction on pilot objects.

In result of discussions special attention should be paid to following aspects, which should provide successful project implementation in general:

- create initiative groups and provide preparatory works on organization of canals management on hydrographic principle (committees on canals, their executive bodies), including their legal registration;

- carry out social mobilization and organization before WUA start irrigation in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and till the end of year –in Aravan rayon of Kyrgyzstan;

- create information system and organize data exchange;

- assure preparation and correction of water use plans at all water resources management levels;

- select and disseminate water allocation methods on pilot canals, WUAs, providing uniformity and stability of water supply;

- carry out set of measures on demonstration plots on land productivity increase – at least 20% and water –at least 30%.

6) Participants approved proposal prepared by BWO “Syrdarya”and SIC ICWC on technical improvement of water allocation system on pilot canals and main canal inflow with account for selected priorities for submission to SDC.

7) Amendments concerning management and planning system were made.

Project Steering Committee meeting, which approved results of works for 2002, program of works, and budget for 2003, was held on January 29.