Integrated Water Resources Management In Ferghana Valley (Iwrm-Ferghana)

Theme 1: Basin Water Management

BACKGROUND

This project is implemented by IWMI and the Scientific Information Centre (SIC) of Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC) in the following three countries of Ferghana Valley: Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Three phases of the project are: "Phase I - Inception Phase" from September 2001 to April 2002; "Phase II - Implementation Phase" from May 2002 to April 2005."Phase III - Dissemination Phase" from May 2005 to April 2008. To complement the third phase of activities, a smaller livelihood component has also been added.

The research questions
  • How can the IWRM principles be adopted and promoted for water management within transition economies of Central Asia?
  • What reforms (legal, institutional) are needed in adopting IWRM principles?
  • Is there room for land and water productivity improvement in the changed situation with Soviet times?
  • What, if any, are the issues (policy and technical) in dissemination of the locally accepted institutional reforms to the whole Fergana valley?
  • Do the reformed institutions lead to the desired impacts in improving the livelihood status of Fergana inhabitants?

Objectives
  • Promote water reforms through the reorganization of water management institutions along hydrographic boundaries instead of administrative boundaries, while incorporating IWRM principles at all levels, facilitating policy and legal changes.
  • Improve the livelihoods of farmers through reformed institutions and land and water productivity increases.

Methods
  • Identification of the appropriate measures and requirements for adoption of IWRM principles through extensive consultations and analysis of existing practices
  • Based on intensive social mobilization, promote institutional reforms at several levels within canals (Water User Groups, WUAs and Main Canal Management) that involve water users in an appropriate manner.
  • Introduce land and water productivity enhancing practices through existing and new systems of extension services.
  • Establish the use of new management tools and capacities in new institutions
  • Identification of the interrelationships between livelihoods and water institutions in order to gain the best outcomes
  • Facilitation of policy improvements based on these results for wider dissemination
  • Regular performance assessments of the promoted activities and new institutions
  • Using annual user perception surveys

Project leader

Herath Manthrithilake (H.Manthri@cgiar.org)

Researchers

Abdullaev, Iskandar; Anarbekov, Oyture; Clemett, Alexandra; Giordano, Mark; Jumaboev, Kahramon; Kazbekov, Jusipbek; Manning, Nadia; Mehmood ul Hassan; Nizamedin, N.; Turral, Hugh; Yakubov, Murat

Collaborators

Scientific Information Centre (SIC) of Interstate Coordination Water Commission (ICWC)

Major Donors

Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, IWMI core funding

Project Duration

01 April 2005 to 30 April 2008

Location

IWMI Sub-regional office for Central Asia. (Uzbekistan)