Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DUSHANBE1091
2007-07-24 13:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dushanbe
Cable title:
TAJIKISTAN'S WATER USERS ASSOCIATIONS: SUSTAINABLE
how-toVZCZCXRO0866 PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHDBU #1091 2051301 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P R 241301Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0690 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 2198 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 2167 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 2209 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 0043 RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1485 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 2504
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001091
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EAID EAGR TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S WATER USERS ASSOCIATIONS: SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION
UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001091
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EAID EAGR TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S WATER USERS ASSOCIATIONS: SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION
1. Summary: Winrock International's water users' associations
provide an example of the kind of "bottom-up" assistance that
delivers substantial and sustainable benefits to Tajikistan's
poorest. During a July 20 site visit in Rudaki District, 30
miles outside Dushanbe, PolOff saw first hand how U.S. funding
in this area can help farmers develop the skills and
organizational capacity necessary to more effectively manage
their water resources and local irrigation systems, while also
promoting civil society and grass-roots partnerships between
farmers and their local government. However, funding
limitations are currently prohibiting the spread of this
impressive program into other areas of the country. End Summary.
2. A decade of civil war and government neglect literally
washed away Tajikistan's national and local irrigation networks.
This situation led not only to decreased agricultural output,
but also to friction and occasional violence between neighbors
vying for limited water supplies. In order to provide a lasting
solution to problems associated with water distribution,
Winrock's program places as much emphasis on building
organizational capacity as it does on the reconstruction of
physical infrastructure. For example, association members
received training in areas such as management, finance,
irrigation maintenance, efficient land use, and conflict
resolution. The progress made in this regard was plain to see
during PolOff's site visit, as local farmers were clearly proud
of their association and the results it had achieved. The
association's continuing importance to the farmers was also
manifest, and they stressed their desire to see its activities
continue into the future.
3. Winrock aims to leave behind associations capable of using
member fees to cover the salaries of managerial staff, and the
costs of infrastructure upkeep and improvement. Sources of
revenue include a fee for water usage (less than one third of
one cent per square meter) and a uniform annual membership fee
paid by each participating farm. Although the durability of a
system based on voluntary participation might appear
questionable, the association's future is safeguarded by the
enormity of the benefits it provides, relative to the costs of
membership. For example, one farmer claimed that after only one
year of improved irrigation, his grain output per hectare of
land had doubled from 1200 kg to 2500 kg. Another farmer
reported even greater results, producing an impressive 5700 kg
of cotton per hectare -- up from around 2500 kg before the
association was established. In addition, the problem of
"free-riding" is discouraged by a higher water usage fee charged
to non-members who draw on water passing through the
association's irrigation channels. In one instance, a local
factory that initially shied away form participation in the
association begged for membership after witnessing its results.
4. Association members claimed to have a positive relationship
with the local government -- a situation explained in large part
by the important public service they provide. Indeed,
association activities focus not only on repairing and
maintaining the local irrigation channels feeding their own
lands, but even extend to occasional work on the "external"
irrigation system forming the backbone of Tajikistan's
agricultural economy. In such cases, the government reportedly
applies a credit to the yearly water usage fees charged to the
association for the water it draws.
5. Comment: With the strong support of its members and the
local government, the water users' associations visited by
PolOff showed the potential to deliver sustainable results to
the local community in the future. While we generally think of
water users' associations in terms of agricultural development,
it is clear that the program also promotes the development of
civil society and grass-roots partnerships between local
governments and the populations they serve. However, Winrock
representatives noted that while the potential exists to
reproduce elsewhere in Tajikistan the postive trends in
reconstruction and cooperation witnessed in Rudaki District,
funding limitations mean that 11 of Winrock's 26 associations
currently exist on paper only -- organized and ready to begin
work, but without the money necessary to get started. End
Comment.
JACOBSON
HOAGLAND
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON EAID EAGR TI
SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN'S WATER USERS ASSOCIATIONS: SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT IN ACTION
1. Summary: Winrock International's water users' associations
provide an example of the kind of "bottom-up" assistance that
delivers substantial and sustainable benefits to Tajikistan's
poorest. During a July 20 site visit in Rudaki District, 30
miles outside Dushanbe, PolOff saw first hand how U.S. funding
in this area can help farmers develop the skills and
organizational capacity necessary to more effectively manage
their water resources and local irrigation systems, while also
promoting civil society and grass-roots partnerships between
farmers and their local government. However, funding
limitations are currently prohibiting the spread of this
impressive program into other areas of the country. End Summary.
2. A decade of civil war and government neglect literally
washed away Tajikistan's national and local irrigation networks.
This situation led not only to decreased agricultural output,
but also to friction and occasional violence between neighbors
vying for limited water supplies. In order to provide a lasting
solution to problems associated with water distribution,
Winrock's program places as much emphasis on building
organizational capacity as it does on the reconstruction of
physical infrastructure. For example, association members
received training in areas such as management, finance,
irrigation maintenance, efficient land use, and conflict
resolution. The progress made in this regard was plain to see
during PolOff's site visit, as local farmers were clearly proud
of their association and the results it had achieved. The
association's continuing importance to the farmers was also
manifest, and they stressed their desire to see its activities
continue into the future.
3. Winrock aims to leave behind associations capable of using
member fees to cover the salaries of managerial staff, and the
costs of infrastructure upkeep and improvement. Sources of
revenue include a fee for water usage (less than one third of
one cent per square meter) and a uniform annual membership fee
paid by each participating farm. Although the durability of a
system based on voluntary participation might appear
questionable, the association's future is safeguarded by the
enormity of the benefits it provides, relative to the costs of
membership. For example, one farmer claimed that after only one
year of improved irrigation, his grain output per hectare of
land had doubled from 1200 kg to 2500 kg. Another farmer
reported even greater results, producing an impressive 5700 kg
of cotton per hectare -- up from around 2500 kg before the
association was established. In addition, the problem of
"free-riding" is discouraged by a higher water usage fee charged
to non-members who draw on water passing through the
association's irrigation channels. In one instance, a local
factory that initially shied away form participation in the
association begged for membership after witnessing its results.
4. Association members claimed to have a positive relationship
with the local government -- a situation explained in large part
by the important public service they provide. Indeed,
association activities focus not only on repairing and
maintaining the local irrigation channels feeding their own
lands, but even extend to occasional work on the "external"
irrigation system forming the backbone of Tajikistan's
agricultural economy. In such cases, the government reportedly
applies a credit to the yearly water usage fees charged to the
association for the water it draws.
5. Comment: With the strong support of its members and the
local government, the water users' associations visited by
PolOff showed the potential to deliver sustainable results to
the local community in the future. While we generally think of
water users' associations in terms of agricultural development,
it is clear that the program also promotes the development of
civil society and grass-roots partnerships between local
governments and the populations they serve. However, Winrock
representatives noted that while the potential exists to
reproduce elsewhere in Tajikistan the postive trends in
reconstruction and cooperation witnessed in Rudaki District,
funding limitations mean that 11 of Winrock's 26 associations
currently exist on paper only -- organized and ready to begin
work, but without the money necessary to get started. End
Comment.
JACOBSON
HOAGLAND