135
on average from USD 162 per capita in 2001 to USD 240 per capita in 2010 in the
valley provinces (Dukhovny et al. 2012 ).
However, agricultural production in the valley is hampered not only by the unreliable irrigation water supply but also by the unreliable supply of fertilisers and seeds,
inappropriate crop cultivation methods, limitations in the allocation of seasonal
credits and funding of capital investments, limitations in marketing and processing
of produce, control of cropping patterns and poor agricultural development informational services. These issues will need to be addressed through agricultural reforms
and measures dealing with the intensifi cation of the agricultural production system.
10.3 Water Resources Management in the Fergana Valley
Water resources in FV are predominantly of a transboundary nature. Most of the
region’s surface water resources are generated in the mountains of the upstream
countries Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Figure 10.4 shows the main irrigation and drainage systems in the valley and,
indeed, provides an insight into the complexity of this unique water management
system. Taking into account the dozens of large and hundreds of small towns; thousands of rural settlements with various industrial, utility and other enterprises; thousands of kilometres of irrigation and drainage systems and dozens of reservoirs and
pump stations available within the seven provinces of the three riparian countries in
this scheme, one can understand that harmonising the management system is not
only diffi cult but also the collection, comparison and assessment of data from various water resources are also key and challenging tasks in themselves.
At present, the main problems in managing the existing irrigation infrastructure
in FV are linked to the following shortcomings and constraints:
• The state maintains administrative governance and fi nancial support for the
upper layer of water hierarchy without involving the integrated water resources
management (IWRM) mechanisms at a national level. Moreover, local stakeholders’ engagement in water management within the vertical hierarchy meets
resistance from the state.
• The establishment of water user associations (WUAs) and canal management
organisations with involvement of the community in the form of a union of canal
water users (UCWU) and canal water committees (CWC) has certain effects on
the enhancement of uniformity, stability and water supply. However, institutional
restructuring is impossible without a strong legal framework. In general, the
fi nancial, organisational, legal and technical aspects of these institutions have not
been solved (including WUA support by Ministries of Agriculture and Water
Management).
• There are no contractual obligations and methodical interrelationships between
basin administrative irrigation systems (BAIS), hydrogeologic melioration expeditions (HGME), administrative irrigation systems (AIS) and WUAs.
10 Irrigation Infrastructure in Fergana Today: Ecological Implications – Economic…
on average from USD 162 per capita in 2001 to USD 240 per capita in 2010 in the
valley provinces (Dukhovny et al. 2012 ).
However, agricultural production in the valley is hampered not only by the unreliable irrigation water supply but also by the unreliable supply of fertilisers and seeds,
inappropriate crop cultivation methods, limitations in the allocation of seasonal
credits and funding of capital investments, limitations in marketing and processing
of produce, control of cropping patterns and poor agricultural development informational services. These issues will need to be addressed through agricultural reforms
and measures dealing with the intensifi cation of the agricultural production system.
10.3 Water Resources Management in the Fergana Valley
Water resources in FV are predominantly of a transboundary nature. Most of the
region’s surface water resources are generated in the mountains of the upstream
countries Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Figure 10.4 shows the main irrigation and drainage systems in the valley and,
indeed, provides an insight into the complexity of this unique water management
system. Taking into account the dozens of large and hundreds of small towns; thousands of rural settlements with various industrial, utility and other enterprises; thousands of kilometres of irrigation and drainage systems and dozens of reservoirs and
pump stations available within the seven provinces of the three riparian countries in
this scheme, one can understand that harmonising the management system is not
only diffi cult but also the collection, comparison and assessment of data from various water resources are also key and challenging tasks in themselves.
At present, the main problems in managing the existing irrigation infrastructure
in FV are linked to the following shortcomings and constraints:
• The state maintains administrative governance and fi nancial support for the
upper layer of water hierarchy without involving the integrated water resources
management (IWRM) mechanisms at a national level. Moreover, local stakeholders’ engagement in water management within the vertical hierarchy meets
resistance from the state.
• The establishment of water user associations (WUAs) and canal management
organisations with involvement of the community in the form of a union of canal
water users (UCWU) and canal water committees (CWC) has certain effects on
the enhancement of uniformity, stability and water supply. However, institutional
restructuring is impossible without a strong legal framework. In general, the
fi nancial, organisational, legal and technical aspects of these institutions have not
been solved (including WUA support by Ministries of Agriculture and Water
Management).
• There are no contractual obligations and methodical interrelationships between
basin administrative irrigation systems (BAIS), hydrogeologic melioration expeditions (HGME), administrative irrigation systems (AIS) and WUAs.
10 Irrigation Infrastructure in Fergana Today: Ecological Implications – Economic…