Technical Focus Paper:

IWRM Implementation in Central Asia

Vadim SOKOLOV

Regional Coordinator

Global Water Partnership Central Asia and Caucasus

(in co-operation with Prof. Victor Dukhovny and

Dr. Dinara Ziganshina, SIC ICWC)

GWP TEC meeting

Stockholm, Sweden, 29-30 August 2014

This paper is not about IWRM itself…

2

…rather this is a story on how

local competence in IWRM

was developing in the setting

of a region where water has

been playing a vital role for

millennia

… and a story on knowledge

building and its

transformation into practical

instruments, which help

people to have better and

prosperous lives.

• BUT the role of GWP was fundamental for the systematization of knowledge

and experiences from past and modern water management practices, and what

is crucial – for better understanding of future developments.

• GWP can be proud of its contribution to building IWRM competence among

water profs but also key stakeholders, including policy makers.

Competence is a cluster of related abilities, commitments, knowledge, and skills

that enables countries to implement IWRM in practice

• In 2002 when GWP came to the CACENA region to promote IWRM, it did not

start from the scratch:

• Central Asia had a long history of managing water, with 6000 years old

irrigation practices;

• In 1950-90s, initial understanding of the need for integrated approaches

in water management has emerged among waters profs.

For the tree of IWRM to grow and thrive, it should be

rooted on basic principles and fertilised by knowledge

and practical experiences

Water security can be improved through reforms

based on IWRM practical implementation ‘IWRM adopters’ are driving forces to implement reforms, they push:

•Incentives, motivation, and stimulus, which are needed to ensure that IWRM is

self-sustaining.

•The involvement of stakeholders at all levels and increasing the number of

IWRM adopters is crucial in achieving targets of reform.

Critical mass or 25-30% of IWRM adopters is needed for IWRM process to

reach the stage where the process will be self-sustaining without strong

external support and promotion.

•Currently, IWRM is adopted on only 5 percent of the total irrigated area in

Central Asia.

•Another 20-25% of IWRM adopters is needed

GWP’s role is to help create this critical mass, with proper competence!

Scope and scale of IWRM competence in Central Asia

(past interventions that used GWP’s knowledge)

5

Project

Levels of Water Management Hierarchy

Trans-

boundary

NationalSectors

Canal

management

Other

water usersIrrigation WS&S Hydropower Nature

National IWRM

plan in Kazakhstan

Yes Yes Yes Yes none Yes none Yes

IWRM in Zerafshan

Basin

none Yes Yes Yes none Yes none Yes

IWRM in Fergana

Valley

partially Yes Yes none none Yes Yes Yes

RESP 2 Uzbekistan none Yes Yes none none none partially Yes

WAREMASP

Uzbekistan

none Yes Yes none none none none Yes

Often IWRM concept is used as a ‘slogan’ –

without clear understanding of what it is in practice

6

Our understanding of IWRM: it is a process, including dynamically developed governance system at

different levels of water management hierarchy, that facilitates efficient and equitable water

resources management (protection, delivery and use) through application of advanced tools

Integrated Water Resources Management

Water Governance System Water Management Process

Strategy / planning LawWater supply

hydrographic boundaries

Water demandadministrative boundaries

Institutions Financebasin, sub-basin, system,

WUAs, end users

transboundary, national, province, district,

WUAs, end users

Stakeholders’ participation Ethics

Operational planning, water

delivery, water accounting, O&M,

infrastructure, water related

disaster mitigation

Setting water use rates, metering, extension

services, climate related information, modern

irrigation practices, environmental needs

Tools + Capacity and Human Resources Development

But, again we did not focus paper to technical details…

Good water governance is essential for IWRM implementation

Still a lot should be done to achieve ‘good’ governance in CA,

and as a first priority – we need more info

7

Actions to achieve good governanceCentral Asian countries*)

Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Uzbekistan

IWRM recognition in national legislation accepted accepted accepted accepted

Recognition of hydrographisation accepted accepted accepted accepted

Completion of hydrographisation 100% 100% need more info 70%

Recognition of the public participation accepted accepted accepted accepted

Public involvement formal formal formal formal

Recognition of water committees accepted accepted accepted accepted

Operation of water committees formal formal formal formal

Effective financial mechanisms need more info need more info need more info need more info

Encouragement of water saving need more info weak need more info weak

Law on water users associations accepted accepted accepted In progress

Completion of WUA establishment process accepted accepted need more info accepted

*) Turkmenistan – not assessed - need more info

Main focus of capacity building should be addressed to minimizing

the negative impact of destabilizing forces on IWRM implementation

8

Transboundary dimension: Is it possible to create a positive

nexus among water, food, energy and environmental security?

9

• Competing interests for water at transboundary level, especially when different

sectors involved, have great potential to transform the issue into cross-national

confrontation, where political and corporative ambitions dominate over common

sense of sustainable balance.

• The positive nexus in Central Asia can be achieved, if river flow is regulated for the

benefits of the public and environmental interests rather than purely commercial

interests of some sectors.

• Flow regulation along transboundary rivers should be agreed by main stakeholders at

sectoral and national levels. Examples of USA-Canada and Rhine Commission: water

releases along rivers performed not upon decisions of infrastructure owners but by

water authorities upon policy agreement with all riparians.

Hence, the only way forward is to search for a consensus with a spirit of good will for

cooperation on the basic principles of IWRM.

In lieu of a conclusion: Some ethical dimensions

10

• The main ethical rule related to water should be: ‘do not hold water resources at the

expense of others' rights to hold the same water resources’

• We proposed to set the benchmark and establish written rules for ethical behaviour in

water use and management - in the form of code of practice for IWRM

implementation. This would not be legally binding and is not intended to replace the

provisions of national laws or regulations, but it could provide practical (heuristic)

guidance and set out professional standards of behaviour around water.

• The working definition for IWRM Code of Practice may be:

Principles, values, standards, or rules of behaviour that guide the decisions,

procedures, and systems of water management organisations in a way that

(a) contributes to the welfare of key stakeholders,

(b) respects the rights of all constituents affected by its operations, and

(c) fosters the realisation of the collective goals of public interest.

Sincerely appreciation to all who supported our TF paper:

11

GWP TEC members and personally Mohamed Ait Kadi – who initiated paper

Editor, who helped to complete our paper

Our colleagues within and outside region, who shared their ideas and contributions

We strongly recommend to continue this series of publications

All RWPs should mobilize their technical expertise to contribute to synthesis

GWP’s knowledge, based on experiences from concrete situations at regional,

national or local levels

Thank you for attention and support !We are ready to continue discussions, any ideas welcome…

More info:

vadim@icwc-aral.uz

www.gwp-cacena.org

www.cawater-info.net