Preparing the Climate Adaptive Water Resources Management in The Aral Sea Basin Project - Procurement Readiness of Babatag Subproject and Due Diligence Review of Land Legacy Issues Linked to Land Consolidation by Agricultural Clusters and Land Allocation to Youths in the Core Subproject Areas
The problem:
The Aral Sea Basin, once a thriving agricultural hub, has suffered greatly due to decades of mismanagement, leading to severe water scarcity and land degradation. The irrigation and drainage (I&D) systems in the Amu Darya and Zarafshan River Basins are outdated and inefficient, failing to meet the needs of local farmers and exacerbating the effects of climate change. Water losses due to poor infrastructure, coupled with the region's growing vulnerability to climate-induced droughts, have significantly reduced agricultural productivity. This situation is particularly dire in the Jondor and Babatag irrigation schemes, where the aging infrastructure has led to unreliable water supply and decreased crop yields. Additionally, recent land consolidation efforts by agricultural clusters and land allocations to youths have introduced new challenges, including potential displacement of farmers and conflicts over water resources. These socio-economic and environmental issues have created a complex problem that demands a comprehensive solution, one that not only modernizes the infrastructure but also addresses the social implications of land reforms to ensure sustainable water management and agricultural productivity in the Aral Sea Basin.
The solution:
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.
