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Central Asia Republics Regional
>> Regional Overview >> Central Asia Republics Regional Overview Activity Data Sheet
PROGRAM: CAR Regional
TITLE AND NUMBER: Improved Management of Critical Natural Resources, including Energy; 176-0161
STATUS: New
PROPOSED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $4,000,000 FSA
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCE: $3,000,000 FSA
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 2001 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2005Summary: Central Asia is dependent on its principal natural resources, oil, gas, and water, for its economic growth. In the past, abuse of these resources has led to disasters such as shrinking of the Aral Sea and pollution of the Caspian Sea. The purpose of this objective is to change the way that water and energy resources in Central Asia are managed, largely through training and technical assistance that will improve the management capacity of natural resources officials; improve policy and regulatory frameworks; and build public commitment. Activities will provide a stronger basis for decision-making through better data collection systems, stronger partnerships with U.S. policy specialists, and better public relations skills. Easily replicated, sustainable demonstration models will complement this training and technical assistance through the introduction of new cost- and resource-efficient technologies and procedures.
Program Categories include support for environmental policy, legislation and regulation; environmental technology transfer; and management of natural resources and bio-diversity.
Key Results: Key results required to achieve this objective are: 1) increased management capacity in natural resources; 2) improved policy and regulatory framework for natural resources management; 3) sustainable models developed for integrated natural resources management; and 4) public commitment established for natural resources management policies.
Performance and Prospects: Although many of USAID's FY 2000 natural resource management activities had regional implications, two stand out in the water sector as having the most widespread impact. Resource managers of the Syr Darya River, the prime water source for irrigated agriculture in the fertile Ferghana Valley (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) and southern Kazakhstan, are using a planning tool that USAID developed to make decisions on the allocation and distribution of water and energy in the region. Local water resources economists and engineers are using USAID recommendations to better facilitate transboundary water discussions between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. With USAID assistance, another water management facility on one of the Syr Darya's major tributaries, the Chirchik River, has increased downstream river flow to the Aral Sea by 100-150 million cubic meters per year (three percent) through a new automated system that reduces water wastage. At least one other donor is considering replication of similar cost-effective water saving installations elsewhere in the region.
In the past USAID has had some success in developing policy and regulatory frameworks in transboundary water management and the management of energy resources. Four republics adopted a framework agreement for negotiating annual water allocations and Kazakhstan approved an oil spill action plan for the Caspian Sea. In FY 2001, USAID will build on these successes and continue to support training for natural resources officials. This effort will provide a stronger basis for decision-making through better data collection systems, stronger partnerships with U.S. policy specialists, and better public relations skills. The Syr Darya River will be a focal point for water and energy discussions in the region primarily due to its importance to irrigated agriculture.
To complement and reinforce this training, USAID is building demonstration models as part of the individual bilateral programs to show the viability of new management concepts and technologies in selected problem areas. On a regional level, USAID forged a partnership between the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the meteorological service of Kyrgyzstan that will help regional officials better plan for water allocation through snowmelt forecasting and regional data sharing. This and other models will provide jumping-off points for future localized replication in the region.
The Central Asian Economic Community (CAEC) continues to be an important partner in the development of regional water agreements, but better cooperation with other regional water organizations, especially those in Uzbekistan, is needed. USAID is helping CAEC to build on the strengths of existing regional water and energy organizations to reach consensus amongst the four nations on further transboundary agreements.
In 2001, USAID plans to obligate the following amounts per category: Environmental Policy, Legislation & Regulation, for technical assistance in policy development ($1,545,000); Environmental Technology Transfer, for technical assistance in model development ($1,330,000); and Management of Natural Resources and Bio-diversity, for technical assistance and training to increase capacity in natural resources management. ($1,125,000 and $344,100 in FY 2000 Carryover).
With FY 2002, CAR Regional funding USAID will provide further training to natural resources officials in the region and continue to develop demonstration models to show the viability of new resource management concepts and technologies. USAID also will continue to help countries in the region to reach consensus on transboundary resource management issues.
Beneficiaries: The direct beneficiaries of these activities are the officials and technicians responsible for managing naturals resources in the region. Ultimately, the citizens of Central Asia stand to benefit from a better-managed natural resource base.
Possible Adjustments to Plan: Although most of the activities under this objective are new, some internal assessments of ongoing activities may call for changes. This is especially true in the area of drafting regional agreements on water and energy, which have historically been difficult to achieve despite USAID and other donor assistance. The outcomes of these and other preliminary assessments will help us determine which activities we will curtail and which we will expand.
Other Donor Programs: The World Bank's Global Environmental Facility is the only regional program. Many other donor programs are active on a bilateral basis with the five countries of the region. The Canadian International Development Agency is providing technical training to natural resources officials and managers, and the Swiss Government is taking part in our work with NOAA in the acquisition of hydrological data. This data is being shared with UNDP and the World Bank. The Asian Development Bank and World Bank are also providing Technical assistance for legislative and regulatory issues, and the World Bank continues infrastructure projects through its Northern Aral Sea Project.
Principal Contractors, Grantees or Agencies: PA Consulting (formerly Hagler-Bailly) is the prime contractor for the Natural Resources Management Program; the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is working with modeling systems that will help with snowmelt forecasting and data.
U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
176-0161; Improved Management of Critical Natural Resources, including Energy
176-016; Environmental Management
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
