Improving irrigation and drainage networks at local level

Project objective

Rural and urban communities in Kazakhstan have sustainable access to irrigation water and improved agricultural land conditions in Almaty and Turkistan Regions.  This, in turn, will contribute to addressing the broader national goals and objectives of reducing rural poverty and increasing food security.

Situation and solution

This project seeks to develop the capacity of the Kazvodkhoz State Enterprise and its branch offices in Almaty and in the Turkistan regions through institutional change management and improved irrigation water management and governance which would serve as an example throughout Kazakhstan. The project addresses the (i) institutional development of administrative departments (finance, operations and maintenance and supervision, mechanization, Technical Design and Planning, Water Use and Delivery), as well as (ii) capacity development of technical field staff (on-the-job training, (iii) development of a new water tariff/billing system and (iv) awareness raising of local farmers and the existing water user’s associations (WUA) on efficient water management.

The project intends to align functional responsibilities and authorities of the Kazvodkhoz State Enterprise. The project intends to expose employees of Kazvodhoz to international knowledge on more efficient management structures in the water sector. These changes will enhance the sustainability of irrigation supplies and systems, which will encourage donors and investors to return to this sector. The project will contribute to improve the ability of rural communities of Turkistan’s sub-districts to access irrigation water supply systems and hence to improve the lives of a substantial numbers of people living in the Makhtaral and Shardara districts.

Project Outcomes.

This objective will be realized through three components/ outcomes that are further described below:

Outcome 1: Strengthened capacity of local authorities on water delivery practices and better farmers’ information services on farm water management (water council & extension).

Output: 1.1 Supporting services result in improved O&M of improved irrigation facilities; Output 1.2. Approved Mechanisms for enhanced communication and coordination, institutional awareness and accountability through improved inter-action between state agencies and land users through human resource development; Output 1.3. Economic mechanisms introduced for improved resource mobilization; Output 1.4. Improved on-farm irrigation water use efficiency, operation and maintenance

Outcome 2: Effective operation of Turkistan’s Support Centre, human capacity strengthened through international information/lessons learned disseminated.

Output: 2.1. Establishing Support Centre for public services to increasing transparency and accountability of water supply services in Kazvodkhoz Turkistan Branch; Output: 2.2. A regional level capacity building program developed and increased the efficiency of Kazvodkhoz service delivery through international knowledge and practice.

Outcome 3: Integrated data and information system established to improve the water meter and e-billing system.   

Outcome 3.1. Baseline Survey on Rural Water Supply System and socio-economic condition of the communities in Almaty, Makhtaaral and Shardara districts with an ultimate objective to support the strengthening of monitoring and e-Billing systems in rural water supply system; Output 3.2. Development of the Water e-Billing System for Makhtaral and Shardara districts; Output 3.3. Development of database for proper operation of the Support Centre for Water e-Billing System in Makhtaral and Shardara districts; Output 3.4. Awareness raising of the rural communities on water supply system and using Water e-Billing system; Output 3.5. Establishment of web based interactive water supply and delivery platform.

Budget

$1,850,000

Government of Kazakhstan

$890,000

UNDP

$960,000

Duration

September 2018 – December 2021

Implementing organization

United Nations Development Programme

in Kazakhstan

Victoria Baigazina

Focal Person

Tel: + 7 7172 69 65 50

Fax: +7 7172 69 65 50

E-mail: victoria.baigazina@undp.org