ABOUT ICWC TRAINING CENTER ACTIVITY
Workshop “Geographical Information Systems” (GIS) was held on 25-29 of August, 2003 in ICWC Training Center. The workshop aimed to inform water experts about advanced approaches and data processing means playing important part in data and experience exchange. One of such means are geographical information systems.
Following representatives took active part in the workshop activity: P. Umarov – SIC ICWC Director; R. Baker – CIDA Project Manager on water experts training of Central Asia; S. Zherelieva and R. Shodiyeva –experts on GIS.
In result of discussions the workshop participants proposed following recommendations:
- Necessity of creating regional network of exchange by data and experience of new technologies application in water management;
- It is necessary to promote development of young experts’ professional skills of applying the best practices;
- The workshops on GIS should be organized in oblasts to involve in process as much as possible water experts.
ABOUT PARTICIPATION OF ICWC DELEGATION ON 54TH IEC ICID MEETING
Fifty fourth meeting of International Executive Committee at International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (IEC ICID) was held on September 14-19, 2003 in Montpellier, France. IEC is supreme ICID managing body, which includes President, 9 vice-presidents, and representatives from 101 country-ICID members.
On its meetings IEC considers all aspects of scientific and technical activity implemented within framework of ICID including its administrative-executive and financial functions fulfilled by permanently acting Secretariat with central office in New Delhi (India). One of IEC main tasks – consideration and approval of reports, recommendations, and plans of working bodies (committees, working groups, and expert groups in total of 30) on different issues of irrigation, drainage, and control of floods in regions of Asia, Africa, America, and Europe.
Following representatives could participate in the 54th meeting work: IFAS Board member, ICWC member, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of Uzbekistan, Chairman of Uzbek National Commission on Irrigation and Drainage A.A. Jalalov, and Deputy Director of SIC ICWC, ICWC Training Center Director, P.D. Umarov (leaving by proxy of SIC ICWC Director V.A. Dukhovny invited to this meeting).
ICWC delegation participated in special working group activity on Aral Sea basin (ST-ARAL), which was held under presidency of ICID vice-president Ch. Madramotoo. The Chairman and other members of special working group expressed great regret about illness and absence of Deputy Chairman of special working group Prof. V.A. Dukhovny and wished to him to get better and come back to ICID family as soon as possible.
In his response A.A. Jalalov thanked Chairman and members of special working group and presented brief information about current Aral Sea basin problems, recent International Forum on Fresh Water in Dushanbe as well as “Program of concrete actions on improvement of environmental and social-economic situation in the Aral Sea basin (ASB) for period 2003-2010”. According to meeting agenda other issues were considered – inclusion in ASB special working group staff of other ICWC members – representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, member fees payment to ICID.
Speaking on behalf of ICWC members A.A. Jalalov promised assistance in resolving these issues up to next meeting, which will be on September 5-11, 2004 in Moscow.
Also issues of further development of works on International scientific-technical program on irrigation and drainage IPTRID were considered, which was implemented presently under FAO activity.
IPTRI/FAO representative H. Denecke reported about the project «Strategy of sustainable irrigated agriculture with economically acceptable investments in drainage within ASB» implemented by SIC ICWC jointly with McGill University (Canada) and Wallingford Institute of Hydrology (Great Britain). Special workshop with involvement of representatives from World Bank, CIDA, and other donor organizations is planned to organize in Tashkent on this project. A.A. Jalalov proposed to integrate this workshop with ICWC ordinary meeting that will facilitate insuring involvement of rest ICWC members in this workshop.
Reporting about further IPTRID program initiatives H. Denecke informed about results of IX ICID International Drainage Workshop organized on September 10-13, 2003 in Utrecht (the Netherlands), where the project “Strategy of sustainable irrigated agriculture with economically acceptable investments in drainage within ASB” was approved, and proposal about petition before ICID was supported about choice of next X ICID International Drainage Workshop place – Central-Asian region. Meeting participants decided to discuss this proposal on drainage working group meeting, which should be in the next day.
Within framework of discussion of capacity building in ASB region training program high and middle level water experts of Central-Asian water organizations implemented by SIC ICWC jointly with McGill University was presented. In result of discussion conducted works and efforts on organizing ICWC Training Center divisions in Osh and Urgench were approved, it was recommended to accelerate activities on opening other sub-regional divisions in purpose of decentralization and further extension of training activity in future.
Mr. A. Jalalov presented final report about water resources management situation in Central-Asian region as well as reforms on introducing integrated water resources management implemented in Uzbekistan. This report caused big interest of the meeting participants, which was concluded with lively discussion.
Drainage working group meeting was held under presidency of PhD U.F. Wlotman (International Land Reclamation Institute – ILRI, the Netherlands). As permanent supervisors of this working group ICID vice-president, Prof. Ch. Madramootoo, and IPTRID/FAO Chairman H. Denecke took part in the meeting work.
According to the meeting agenda along with such issues as joining of working group new members, review of papers published and prepared for publication, interaction of drainage working group with other working groups, database development on drainage, the report of PhD U.F. Wlotman on results of IX International ICID Drainage Workshop (10-13 of September 2003, Utrecht, the Netherlands), which involved 120 experts from 25 world countries.
The main goal of this workshop is to discuss role and importance of drainage in integrated water resources management (IWRM). In Utrecht Declaration adopted on this workshop special place is given to formulating plan of actions, which included either issues of drainage strategy development in ASB in section 2: “Drainage – IWRM tool”. Separate subject of discussion on drainage working group meeting question of place of organizing next X ICID drainage workshop in 2006. Finland NCID representative Mr. R. Peltomaa proposed to adopt as place of organization Estonia in honor of its integration with European Union. Alternative proposal was brought in by ICID vice-president Prof. Ch. Madramootoo and IPTRID/FAO H. Denecke to take as organization place Central Asia, grounding that there project on drainage strategy development is being implemented, and in the end of 2003 the seminar associated with ICWC meeting will be held.
After discussion it was decided to prepare written proposals, and final decision should be adopted on 55th ICID Session in Moscow.
Main event of the last day of IEC ICID 54th Session was elections of ICID vice-presidents.
According to ICID Statute in this year three-year term of authorities of three vice-presidents has been expiring – Prof. Ch. Madramotoo (Canada), PhD H. Malano (Australia), PhD Soon-kuk Kwun (Korea) and instead of them on presentation of National committees of ICID country-members ICID Secretariat selected and brings 5 following candidates in bulletin for secret vote:
- О. Cukaliev (Macedonia)
- V. Dukhovny (Uzbekistan)
- R. Jeyaseelan (India)
- О. Myint (Myanmar)
- А. Vidal (France)
On results of conducted vote following persons were elected as ICID vice-presidents: Prof. V. Dukhovny (Uzbekistan), R. Jeyaseelan (India), and А. Vidal (France)
ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF «IWRM-FERGHANA» PROJECT
Activity “Water and land use efficiency at farm level”. On 15 of September 2003 in WUA “Akbarabad” (Kuva rayon, Ferghana oblast, Uzbekistan) the workshop “Experience of effective carrying out irrigation and land improvement measures on increasing water and land efficiency”.
This workshop was opened by oblast monitor of the project A. Fazylov. He greeted all involved farmers, thanked them for that in spite of being busy they have found time for participation in such an important to farmers workshop. Separately he expressed gratitude to involved woman-farmers and said that in the first time in this rayon on such kind of meeting the women manifested activeness and constituted almost half of all attendees. Then he told about forthcoming field seminar agenda and called everybody to take part in the work.
Oblast executor on Fergana oblast F. Rasulov presented report “New organizational water management structure and its importance in water allocation uniformity and water efficiency increase”. He briefly described situation in water use and allocation at oblast level, current problems in agriculture water sector as well as importance of new organizational structures in effective water distribution at farm level. He told about main project trends, underlined its significance in agriculture and water management within framework of agricultural and water management reforms carried out in Uzbekistan.
In their presentation on theme: “Experience of IWRM-Ferghana Project on water and land efficiency increase on demonstration plots” Sh. Mukhamejanov and S. Nerozin basing on materials of the first year observations (2002) told about shortfalls in the farms regarding irrigation water use as well as in conducting land improvement measures. Then they showed the ways and opportunities of agricultural crop yield increase and effective irrigation water use in the farms. They demonstrated methods of water management and account, reclamation field certificates, and optimal technological irrigation schemes.
Engineer of the farm “Khozhalhon-ona-khozhi” I. Ganiyev told about organizing observations in the private farm “Khozhalkhon-ona-khozhi” and obtained results. On the example of private farm he shared with his experience of effective irrigation water use and application of land treatment measures.
The farmer of given farm B. Boltaboyev demonstrated irrigation technique and planning sheet of land treatment.
Farmer M. Tozhiboyeva from the private farm “Malikakhon” told about unstable water availability, and this problem is the main reason of yield losses.
After short break seminar participants visited the field of the private farm ‘’Turdiali”, Kuva rayon. Engineer of this farm M. Mirzaliyev showed demonstration plot, water metering devices, evaporator, told about conducted measurements and observations, shared with the experience of effective irrigation water use and land treatment.
This farmer told about the main problem on his lands – high ground water table. Recommendations of optimal irrigation regime developed by “IWRM-Ferghana” project experts with low norms and taking into account water table allowed maintenance of cotton in normal state. So in this year according to phenological observations it is planned to obtain high crop yield.
On the field farmers were interested in water metering equipment, methodic of water discharge calculation, regime, terms, norms, and type of applied fertilizers, non-irrigation cultivation amount, issues of vermin prevention approaches. Discussion was organized, where farmers, project experts, oblast and rayon executors took their part.
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