Kyrgyz Republic

WUA Forming Law of Water Users Unions (Associations) ( ). Standard constituent documents. Process of WUA forming Training of staff WUA Oblast Support Units and Raion Support Units Mobilization work in places and water users training

WUA Structure (Version 1) WUA members General Assembly WUA Council Chief Engineer- Hydrologist Accountant WUA Council Chairman Policy making, fee establishing, staffing, budgeting

WUA Structure (Version 2) WUA members General Assembly WUA Council Directory on maintenance of irrigation network WUA Director Chief Engineer- Hydrologist Accountant Fees collection, M&O WUA Council Chairman Policy making, fee establishing, staffing, budgeting Audut Committee

Issues in WUA establishing Issues in mobilizing farmers: Identifying ISF for maintenance of on-farm network; Farmers resisting of having more than one aiyl okmotu in one served zone (i.e. WUA); Staff issues;

Total established and is functioning 450 officially registered WUAs.

450 WUAs serve 714,000 ha of irrigated land that is 70% of total irrigated area

Dynamics of ISF payment to Rayon Department of Water Resources

ISF Analysis

Transfer of IF 411 WUAs have taken irrigation infrastructure to their balance; Measures on ownership through State Register are taken; More than 12 WUAs registered their ownership; Problems in transferring IF.

Introductory workshops under the On-farm Irrigation Project

During practical and theoretical classes Measuring discharge on canal Training WUA staff by specialists of Kemin Rayon Support WUA Unit

TRAINING CENTRES For conducting conferences, workshops and training courses, in the premises of DWR and in all oblasts and 27 rayons of the KR there were established functioning training centres equipped with modern media assets allowing good conduction of these activities.

Workshops on propaganda and development of WUAs

Issues in WUA functioning Low level of ISF: average in the KR–113 KGS/ha; maximum – 509 KGS/ha; About 65% of ISF in kind; Passive Councils ¾ of Kyrgyz WUAs; The issues of releasing from VAT from ISF for private needs has not been resolved; Issues in registering IF; Weak financial and technical base; Illegal control by fiscal bodies; Issues with right-of-ways; Passive Zone Representatives; Staff changes.

Positive aspects: Water Users implements their right on water use; Water Users participate in managing water resources namely irrigation fund; Water Users join their efforts and means for agreed activities on effective use of water resources on irrigated land; Water Users participate in establishing irrigation water delivery fees; Water Users through WUAs participate in forming water policy. Water Users fully control irrigation infrastructure and have ownership rights. Water Users fully control M&O, financing and resolving disputes. Water Users have major responsibility for financing, M&O, rehabilitation and modernization. Water Users identify themselves clear strategies and rules proposed for approval. In WUA administration and other operations and organization work transparency is achieved. WUA as a new institutional structure in rural area started showing their prospects and viability. All bodies of WUA management are interconnected and responsible, that mean efficiency of control bottom-top and top-bottom.

First Republican WUA Conference Date: December, 2006; Participants: 230 people; Target group: Representatives of the Government, Oblast State Administrations, WUAs, donors ; Topics: -Problems in WUA developing, -M&O problems in WUAs and Rayon DWR, -involvement of water users into water management, -Water reforms Resolution I – KR accepted;

Measures on involving water users to irrigation management Community based Water Councils by hydraulic principle were established in 35 systems and canals; 14 WUA Federations (Unions) were established for M&O of irrigation systems; 4 of them took off-farm network to their balance, 3 started functioning as coordination bodies; WUA Union of the KR was created and started functioning On this the work is ongoing.

Development of Federations Federation Council consists of: Representative zones; Staff; Issue: financial and technical base; Budget: example of WUA Federation «Ak-Suu»; Served area: 5663 ha Total amount: 1870,4 thousand KGS (50 thousand USD) including – Repair and M&O: 700,0 thousand KGS (37%) –Reserve Fund: 170,3 thousand KGS (9%)

WUA Union of the KR State registration: March, 2006; Of 450 WUAs, at present 198 WUAs are members of the Union with 340,000 ha; Started functioning since Offices: Bishkek, Osh; Equipped; First staff hired; The 1 st WUA Vestnik journal has been published; Number of methodological materials for WUA are being prepared; Work with other donors is ongoing.

Further tasks To reach the number up to 500 WUAs in coming future covering area of about 800,000 ha; Formation of pilot WUA Federations on voluntary basis under the new Water Resources Improvement Project and their institutional development; Achieve full functioning of WUA Union of the KR; Amend Law on WUAs and number of other legal acts. Further WUA strengthening by training, support and assistance.

Thank you for attention!