Preparing the Climate Adaptive Water Resources Management in The Aral Sea Basin - Feasibility Design Services
The problem:
The Aral Sea Basin has been facing severe environmental challenges due to overuse of water resources, climate change, and outdated irrigation practices. The water management system, critical for sustaining agriculture and local communities, is under significant strain. The deteriorating infrastructure, coupled with inefficient water usage, has led to declining water availability and quality, impacting agricultural productivity and the livelihoods of people dependent on these resources. Moreover, the lack of a cohesive strategy and policy alignment across different levels of water management—from river basin management to on-farm practices—has exacerbated these issues. There is also a pressing need for gender inclusiveness in water resources management, which has historically been overlooked, thereby limiting the participation of women in decision-making and income-generating activities within this sector.
Given the complexities of the water management challenges in the Aral Sea Basin, a comprehensive approach was required to modernize the infrastructure, improve water resource management practices, and align policies across different levels of governance. This included the necessity to introduce modern technologies in irrigation and drainage networks, as well as build capacity in technical, procurement, and financial management within the relevant project agencies. The overarching goal was to ensure sustainable water resource management that could withstand the impacts of climate change and support the socio-economic development of the region.
The solution:
InfoCapital Group LLC (ICG) provided feasibility design services to address these multifaceted challenges in the Aral Sea Basin. The project commenced with the preparation of a sector roadmap that laid out strategic actions for enhancing water resources management in Uzbekistan. This involved strengthening the policy, legal, and institutional framework based on the Australian Water Guide framework, tailored to the specific needs of the region. The roadmap included actions for asset management, improved operation and maintenance, institutional strengthening for river basin planning, and enhanced water resource measurement and management in selected sub-basins of the Amu Darya River Basin.
ICG's role was instrumental in the preparation of investment projects that applied agreed-upon selection criteria to identify future subprojects for implementation. Total amount of investment projects was US$ 150 million. and project area was 171,000 ha. The feasibility design services encompassed a broad range of activities, including technical appraisals of selected subprojects, topographic and geotechnical surveys, and socio-economic baseline surveys of representative communities. ICG also developed engineering designs, proposed on-farm interventions, and conducted economic and financial analyses to ensure the feasibility and sustainability of the proposed solutions.
The project also prioritized social and gender inclusiveness, ensuring that the proposed interventions addressed the needs of all community members. Additionally, ICG prepared all necessary project safeguards in line with ADB and government requirements, ensuring that environmental and social risks were mitigated. The comprehensive design and planning work culminated in the preparation of technical specifications, draft bidding documents, and a detailed feasibility report, which laid the foundation for the successful implementation of the project. Through these efforts, ICG helped to develop a robust and climate-adaptive water resources management system in the Aral Sea Basin, setting the stage for long-term sustainability and resilience.
InfoCapital Group LLC, under the project, conducted a series of comprehensive climate risk and adaptation assessments focused on the Amu Darya River Basin. The project aimed to shift the approach from merely climate-proofing specific investments to using climate vulnerability as a starting point for identifying and prioritizing investment areas that would build long-term resilience. The assessments involved a basin-wide analysis of climate change impacts on water availability, demand, rural livelihoods, and critical water-related infrastructure. This included using climate models and GIS mapping to identify the most vulnerable areas and infrastructure.
A key aspect of the solution was the consultative adaptation planning process, which engaged various stakeholders, including government counterparts, farming communities, and civil society. Through this process, the project identified barriers to implementing climate-adaptive solutions, such as policy gaps, economic constraints, and sociocultural norms. The project then developed a strategic adaptation plan that included a portfolio of prioritized measures, considering economic viability, gender inclusion, and the needs of the most vulnerable communities.
The final outcome was the identification of priority investments and measures that could be integrated into future subprojects and adaptation initiatives. These measures were designed to enhance the climate resilience of the Amu Darya Basin, protect rural livelihoods, and ensure sustainable water resource management in the face of ongoing climate change.
InfoCapital Group LLC (ICG) conducted an extensive socio-economic baseline survey to support the Climate Adaptive Water Resources Management Project in the Aral Sea Basin. The survey covered 1,600 households and 250 farmers across two key regions: 800 households and 150 farmers in the Bukhara region, and 800 households and 100 farmers in the Surkhandarya region. The survey aimed to gather detailed, sex-disaggregated data on various socio-economic factors, including demographic characteristics, quality of life indicators, and the role of women in agriculture. This data was essential for understanding the current land and water use practices, institutional frameworks, and the impact of existing I&D systems on local communities. ICG’s services included a thorough assessment of social and infrastructure aspects such as housing, water and sanitation, local infrastructure, and community services. The economic aspects focused on analyzing land ownership, agricultural practices, crop yields, income levels, and market dynamics. Additionally, the labor aspects examined labor provision, working conditions, and wage structures in the agricultural sector. By providing this comprehensive data, ICG enabled the project to develop targeted interventions that addressed the unique challenges faced by different social groups, particularly vulnerable populations. The survey’s findings were instrumental in shaping gender action plans, social and environmental safeguard documents, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) strategies, ensuring the project’s long-term success in creating a more resilient and equitable water management system in the Aral Sea Basin.
InfoCapital Group LLC (ICG) provided technical assistance for the ""Climate Adaptive Water Resources Management in the Aral Sea Basin Project,"" focusing on the modernization of the Jondor and Babatag irrigation schemes. To address the infrastructure challenges, ICG developed advanced designs and draft bidding documents for both irrigation systems, ensuring that the proposed upgrades would enhance water distribution efficiency and incorporate climate-resilient features. These designs aimed to improve the measurement, control, and conveyance of water within the existing systems, thereby increasing agricultural water use productivity and reducing the vulnerability to climate change.
In addition to the technical designs, ICG conducted a due diligence review of the land consolidation and allocation processes in the project areas. This review focused on four key agricultural clusters: Parvoz Humo, Bukhara Agro, Termez Jayhun, and SAG Agro. ICG assessed the impact of land consolidation on local farmers and evaluated the implementation of the Presidential Resolution on land allocation to youths. The findings were integrated into a comprehensive program document, which included a Survey Result on Land Consolidation and a Land Acquisition and Resettlement Framework (LARF). Through these efforts, ICG ensured that the project not only met the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) readiness criteria but also addressed the socio-economic challenges posed by land reforms, contributing to the development of a sustainable and climate-adaptive water management system in the Aral Sea Basin.
Start date:
11/2019
Services:
Client:
ADB
