COMMON SESSION OF ICWC, GWP, AND SDC «WAYS OF INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT
PRINCIPLES IMPLEMENTATION IN THE ARAL SEA BASIN»
More than 145 persons – ICWC members and ICWC, representatives of EC
IFAS executive bodies, water experts from Central-Asian countries and regional
organizations, representatives of SDC, project “IWRM-Ferghana”,
IWMI, GWP in Central Asia and Caucasus, NGO, international organizations, journalists,
and mass media took part in session.
Chairman of Committee for Water Resources of Kazakhstan A.D. Ryabtsev and
D. Knobel from SDC greeted session participants.
Practical session work started from review report “Introduction of integrated
water resources management principles in Central Asia – the imperative
of our era”, which V.I. Sokolov – Regional “IWRM-Ferghana” Project
Manager has presented. He demonstrated why it is necessary to change water
management principles in region and what concrete actions must be taken. On
example of IWRM-Ferghana project details on specific aspects – IWRM legal
basis, institutional reconstruction, problems solved by means of WUA, measures
on water and land productivity increase, and other activity kinds – were
presented.
Further discussion on different aspects of integrated water management implementation
principles was divided in three blocks in form of open discussion on each block.
The first block (till afternoon) was dedicated to theme “Trends of institutional
water management reforms and practical issues of Water Users Association establishing
and development in Central Asia”. SIC ICWC Director V.A. Dukhovny led
discussion process. During this discussion following officials expressed their
opinion: A.D. Ryabtsev – Chairman of the Committee for Water Resources
of Kazakhstan, J. Bekbolotov – Director General of Water Department at
MAWR and PI of the Kyrgyz Republic, A.A. Nazyrov – Minister of Reclamation
and Water Resources of Tajikistan, T.K. Altiyev – Deputy Minister of
Water Resources of Turkmenistan, Kh.K. Gapparov – Head of Water Division
at MAWR of the Republic of Uzbekistan, A.S. Satybaldiyev – Office Manager
of IWRM-Ferghana Project in Osh, U. Herren – SDC Office Manager in Central
Asia, M.A. Pinkhasov – Manger of IWRM-Ferghana Project activity at WUA
level, M. ul Hassan – IWRM-Ferghana Project Manager from IWMI. There
are new approaches to definition of water policy, problems of IWRM legal basis
and financing system.
In the afternoon the second block of discussion on issue “Ways of irrigation
water efficiency and tools required for IWRM principles implementation” was
organized. Regional Manager of IWRM-Ferghana Project V.I. Sokolov conducted
discussion. During this discussion following officials expressed their opinion:
Sh.Sh. Mukhamejanov – Manger of IWRM-Ferghana Project activity; ?. Akhrorov – National
Coordinator of IWRM-Ferghana Project from Tajikistan; I. ?bdullayev (IWMI);
B.E. Matraimov – Head of Basin Unit, Osh oblast, Kyrgyz Republic; T.G.
Cholokava – Head of Unit at Ministry of Environment of Georgia. Two presentations – S.A.
Nerozin (SANIIRI) “Certification of demonstration fields – as tool
of water and land productivity increase” and E.D. Cholpankulov (SIC ICWC) “Model
for assessment of agricultural crop water consumption and irrigation regime” – were
presented as a tools.
Final block of open discussion was devoted to theme “Public involvement
in water resources management process”. IWRM-Ferghana Project Manager
from IWMI M. ul Hassan conducted discussion process. During this discussion
following officials expressed their opinion: U. Kamalov – Chaiman of
NGO “Eco-Ferghana”; G. Jamukashvili – Chaiman of Association “Kura-Araks”;
B. Esekin – REC CA Executive Director; S. Aknazarov – Ecoforum
of Kazakhstan; E.M. Rodina – Ecological movement “Biom”;
R. Nazarov – expert-sociologist of IWRM-Ferghana Project; E.V. Lanko – Chief
Editor of magazine “Engineering”.
During discussion concrete proposals of public (NGO and WUA) involvement in
water resources management were considered. In particular, creation of Public
Water Council in the Aral Sea basin as well as similar Council in Caucasus
(activity program and funding sources) was considered.
MEETING OF REGIONAL TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (RTAC) OF GLOBAL WATER PARTNERSHIP IN CENTRAL ASIA AND CAUCASUS
In the meeting 9 of 13 RTAC members representing 5 of 8 region countries
as well as specially invited NGO representatives took part. B. Guterstam – Officer
on relations with regions of GWP Secretary (Stockholm, Sweden) and V. Sokolov – RTAC
CAC Chairman greeted participants.
Meeting work started by presenting GWP CAC work program and budget for 2003,
presented by V. Sokolov. While discussing details of program implementation,
participants addressed issues of coordination procedures (administrative part
of program) as well as thematic part:
- GWP CAC web-site establishment.
-
Participation in alliances (International Network of Basin Organizations (INBO),
CapNET – network on capacity strengthening, program on ground water
(GWMate).
- Dialogues (IWRM and transboundary problems, environment conservation,
public participation).
- Organization of national water partnerships.
- Participation in international measures (Kiev Pan-European Conference
of Ministers of Environment, annual meeting of GWP partners in Stockholm
(August), Water
Summit in Dushanbe (August-September).
- Next RTAC meeting and annual regional conference GWP CAC (Tbilisi,
December 2003).
Meeting participants discussed proposal of H. Larsen (Dutch Hydraulic Institute)
on Dutch Government involvement in establishing bilateral cooperation of
RTAC GWP CAC with Mekong Commission.
It was decided to use opportunity of sending delegation from our region to
Mekong River basin in December 2003 to study experience in process of peace
and stability establishing within framework of water management.
Meeting participants also discussed in details draft GWP CAC program for 2004-2008.
It was decided to submit this document with some supplements for GWP Secretary
(Stockholm) for funding support.
Next RTAC CAC meeting is planned to conduct in August 2003 in Dushanbe under
International Water Summit auspice.
ABOUT «IWRM-FERGHANA» PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Activity «Pilot canals»
Activity “Pilot canals” in this phase includes fulfillment of two
main tasks: organizational and technical.
Technical task on structure repair on canals was decided by local water organizations
(WMO) in February-March 2003. Water metering devices were purchased and delivered
to pilot canals. Currently final installation stage, adjustment, and testing
of above pointed water account devices (gauges, current meters, electronic
discharge meters) was carried out.
Organizational tasks are being fulfilled and include:
• creation of general canal units (CU) by reorganizing WMO structure
on base of hydrographic principle (based not on administrative, but on hydrographic
boundaries),
•
water management improvement based on participatory principle by creating water
councils (WC).
WMO structure reorganization based on hydrographic principle is not simple
task, since there are forces represented by local authority, specific water
experts and water users, who because of different reasons are not interested
in such reorganization. Nevertheless, great work has already been done, so
it can be supposed that under IWRM project, in particular its Sub-component “Pilot
canals” as well as under active activity of executors in-situ this task
may be decided on all pilot canals for the shortest period of time.
That fact that majority of water experts recognized many problems in water
resources management as well as many WMO heads are ready to support perspective
initiations, besides having rich experience of effective water management,
is favorable for outlined changes.
Water management improvement based on participatory principle (water councils’ creation)
is more complex task, since it deals with social and traditional psychological
problems between water services providers and water users, who use these services
indirectly. Lack of practical experience complicates water users involvement
in water management at irrigation system level (makhalla has such experience).
We think that it is necessary to propagate among water experts and water users,
since soil now is favorable, following provision: in economy “head” is
consumer of services, and “subordinate” – their provider.
Sense of reforms means that finally situation should be created, where “client
is always right” (principle of consumer dominating over provider as well
as reporting of water council executive body for water users). Therefore, carrying
out social mobilization of public society this provision is underlined in the
work with water experts and water users as well as their position regarding
new project activity aspects is identified.
Under this project goals and tasks are being propagated that rises level of
water experts and users’ information to aware advantage of cooperation
and information exchange.
In 2003 two training courses are planned to conduct for potential WC members,
managers, and water users that will be one more step of water management popularization.
Presently work on creating standard Canal Unit Statute and standard Provision
of Water Council is being conducting. These normative documents will be transferred
to stakeholders for consideration and, in further, for use. After this work
will be finished, organization of WC formation process will be started.
To disseminate IWRM concepts and create WC working meetings with initiative
groups were held in April 2003 on 3 pilot canals, where main concerning parts
including farmers and NGO representatives participated.
To trace and estimate effects of water management reforms within activity frameworks
analysis of present water use situation was carried out, and indicators of
water supply stability and uniformity were developed. These indicators will
be used in testing of alternative water allocation system.
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