Uzbekistan: Water Resources Management Sector Project

Progetto concluso
WRMSP - with farmers in the field
©SCO Tashkent. With farmers in the field. ©SCO Tashkent

In Uzbekistan agricultural production almost entirely depends on irrigation. The country is therefore compelled to using existing water resources much more efficiently, especially in irrigation, which consumes over 90% of the water. After the collapse of the Soviet Union the region inherited huge irrigation schemes, and the associated storage facilities were all managed centrally at that time. The newly independent states inherited a system of inefficient water management, seriously deteriorated infrastructure and poor institutional settings all coupled with the prevailing arid geo-climatic features of the region.

Paese/Regione Tema Periodo Budget
Asia centrale
Acqua
Agricoltura e sicurezza alimentare
15.02.2010 - 15.02.2010
CHF 3'120'000
Contesto

Switzerland is implementing the WRMSP Component 2: Improved Water Resources Management. The Swiss funded component development objective– which is in line with SDC water sector objectives - is to increase the productivity and financial and environmental stability and the profitability of agriculture in the project areas. As such it contributes to improved effectiveness of water resources management and to the further development of private farming, more secure livelihoods, increased environmental stability, and greater social harmony

Obiettivi

The WRMSP project intends to sustain and increase agricultural production and productivity in Uzbekistan by making selected pump irrigation systems fully functional and operating in an efficient manner.

Gruppi target
  • Basin Administrations of Irrigation Systems
  • Administrations of Irrigation Systems
  • Water Consumer Associations
  • Farmer Field Schools
Effetti a medio termine

SDC’s contribution focuses on the soft component of this major ADB project, and further promotes IWRM, strengthens capacities of 3 Basin Administrations of Irrigation Systems (BAIS), 4 Administrations of Irrigation Systems (AIS) and 34 Water Consumer Associations (WCA), establishes and equips 20 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) to disseminate best water saving practices.

Risultati

Risultati principali attesi:  

The benefits for each subproject will be i) improved agricultural production through rehabilitation and restoration of infrastructure and appropriate irrigation services preventing the possible abandonment of land; ii) increased energy efficiency through more efficient motors and pumps; iii) improved water management practices, water use efficiency and water productivity; iv) decreased land degradation through improved irrigation and drainage management; v) positive impact on climate change through mitigation (less consumption of thermally produced electricity and thus emissions with new pumps) and adaptation (more efficient water use). 

The Swiss participation in the WRMSP project will enhance effective use of available assets and resources, thus making a valuable contribution to supporting the agricultural sector of Uzbekistan.


Direzione/Ufficio responsabile DSC
Credito Cooperazione con l'Europa dell'Est
Partner del progetto Partner contrattuale
Economia privata


Altri partner
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan
  • Asian Development Bank
  • Project Management Office
Budget Fase in corso Budget Svizzera CHF   3'120'000 Budget svizzero attualmente già speso CHF   2'407'403
Fasi del progetto Fase 1 15.02.2010 - 31.12.2015   (Completed)

To increase the efficiency of water management system in Uzbekistan, a combination of improved water infrastructure, adequate human and technical capacity, strengthened institutions and better-integrated water resource management is needed. In addition, irrigation methods applied at farm level should promote water savings and prevent from excessive irrigation, water logging, and salinization.

These aspects were the main rationale behind the decision of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to launch the Water Resources Management Sector Project (WRMSP) in 2008 and together with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan to approach the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) for a parallel non-reimbursable financing of the WRMSP soft component.

A first step in SDC's strategy to upscale its Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) experiences has been teaming up with the World Bank to implement the Rural Enterprise Support Project (RESP II) on about 250’000 hectares in seven districts of Uzbekistan. The novelty of this second step, the WRMSP, is its exclusive focus on pumped irrigation, encompassing an area of about 80’000 hectares with about 60’000 farming families. The engagement of SDC in this ADB project is a further step in the challenging process of promoting more effective water and land productivity. This teaming up ensures effective combination of IWRM institutional innovations with investments into the rehabilitation of pumped irrigation infrastructure by the ADB.