Major accompishments

The following major results were achieved by the time of completing the porject's Phase II in April 2005:

(1)  Methodologies for integrated water resources management developed and pilot-tested;
(2)  Institutional development based on key stakeholders participation and professional social mobilization initiated;
(3)  Initial capacities built in the WMOs and WUAs created in the pilot systems and methodologies how to build such capacities for further up-scaling and replication in the entire Ferghana Valley;
(4) New type participatory water management organizations both at WUA and main canal levels (CMOs, WUAs) set up along hydrological boundaries in the pilot schemes;
(5)  Enabling legal regulation including dispute resolution mechanisms recommended and effectively practiced in the pilot sites;
(6)  Appropriate and effective water allocation and distribution methods developed and pilot-tested at both WUA and main canal level;
(7)  Opportunities for improved water use efficiency and methods for water savings tested;
(8)  Process documentation and advice to policy makers and stakeholders on the basis of project experiences provided.

Among important project results was the development and presentation of the IWRM conceptual framework for the project countries' national water management systems. This includes considerations of the hydrological boundaries, public participation of all stakeholders and the principles of democratic management. The IWRM concept was agreed with and approved by corresponding ministries responsible for water management in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan on May 16, 2003.

Another important result was the development of comprehensive social mobilization approach for bottom-up establishment of WUAs. Prepared was the training module for social mobilization and institutional development at WUA and main canal levels. Regular training workshops and socioeconomic surveys, organized by the project provide new opportunities for widest involvement of those who have a stake whatsoever in the water sector reforms in the Ferghana Valley. The new associations of water users were created by the project (WUA  «Akbarabad» along the South-Ferghana Canal in Uzbekistan, WUA «Kerme-Too-Akburasi» (presently renamed "Isan") along the Aravan-Akbura Canal in Kyrgyzstan and WUA «Zarafshan» along the Khoja-Bakirgan Canal in Tajikistan). The newly created  WUAs were registered  in compliance with national legislations with their duly authorized and democratically elected leaders signing the IMT agreements with corresponding authorities in ealry 2003. Besides, the project held a number of additional WUA development training workshops with special focus on the social mobilization methodology for governmental province and district water management organizations at the request from MAWRs of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Among other important accomplishments was defining, discussing and agreeing amongst the project partners and other stakeholders on alternative organizational structures of water management at WUA and main canal levels. Based on these discussions and agreements made, the water and land management ministries of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have established unique unified Canal Management Organizations (CMOs) within their systems along the three pilot canals which used to be divided between and managed by several districts and provinces in their corresponding project countries. Such integral CMOs were set up to manage the Aravan-Akbura Canal in Kyrgyzstan, the Khoja-Bakirgan Canal in Tajikistan and the South-Ferghana Canal in Uzbekistan. In December 2003,  as initial step for public participation in the management of these canals all their stakeholders including various water users, local governments, water management organizations, NGOs, etc. were first identified and then approached and mobilized to set up their joint public governing body for each such canal which is epxected to be devolved entire or partial management functions until the end of the project.

With regard to national legislations, it was clear that the current legal framework in the countries of the region is not quite enabling for the required changes to take place in water sector. With this in mind the project has developed and disseminated among the national partners its recommendations for changes to be made in the national laws.
   
One of the major impacts in the region that can be attributed to the project was the decision by the Uzbek Government in July, 2003 to restructure and realign its entire water management system along hydraulic boundaries by issuing a special decree "On reforming water management.

The external review mission required by SDC to provide a comprehesive auditing of the project in November 2004, delivered an overall positive assessment of the project with the following verdict made:

• The development of Canal Management Organizations and Canal Water Committees as executive and governing bodies at the main canal level is one of the most innovative and unique element of the project not covered elsewhere by anybody else, which should be better secured in legislative domain and in dialogue with institutions.
• Regarding WUAs the methodology developed was described as solid and could be further disseminated on a wider scale.
• More work remains to be done at below WUA-level.