Representatives of CWPs, GWP CACENA, GWP Secretariat, UNECE and other participants attended this special focused event.
Mr. Abdybay Djailoobaev, Program Manager, CWP-Kygyzstan, delivered a key presentation on the Program and said that a "program heart" is the pilot projects to be implemented in the GWP CACENA countries. Then, representatives of Country Water Partnerships have reported on their specific pilot projects for practical solutions at the local level, mainly in irrigation, water supply and sanitation, with support of capacity building and community engagement.
Mr. Teimur Osmanov, GWP CACENA Regional Council member from Azerbaijan, presented the pilot project devoted to investigation of situation with water and land resources use in the Muganskaya Steppe. The recommendations on optimization the "water-soil-crop" system is to be delivered. The project is supposed to allow water resources use to be more rational and efficient, and crops to be more sustainable under water deficit, as well as waterusers to be prepared to climate change.
Mrs. Arevik Hovsepyan, Chair of CWP-Armenia, presented the project "Rehabilitation of Agricultural Lands in Parakar Community of Armavir Region" -Phase II. The aim of this project is to build a pond system for wastewater treatment and then to use that water for fisheries. This pilot project will give possibility to demonstrate effective using of higher water plants in secondary treatment of wastewater.
Mr. George Dzamukashvili, Chair of CWP-Georgia, presented the pilot project "Measures to mitigate natural disasters in the Sakire village in the Borjom area". The project is aimed to enhance awareness on existing risks among local people and to prepare their behavior for extremal situation as well as to mobilize local community for solving environmental problems.
Mr. Nariman Kipshakbaev, Chair of CWP-Kazakhstan, presented the pilot project on automation of water distribution for irrigation of rice in the Djalagashsky district, Kyzylordinskaya area. The pilot plot will serve as a training place for water specialists.
Mrs. Kasiet Musabaeva, CWP-Kyrgyzstan, presented the special pilot project "Regulation of water demand for irrigation of beans in Talasskaya area of Kyrgyzstan". This project is aimed to train farmers how to apply and adapt the improved technologies for efficient water use and to increase water productivity and crop.
Mr. Yarash Pulatov, Chair of CWP-Tajikistan, presented two pilot projects: 1 - "Improving water infrastructure to decrease land degradation, and measures to mitigate water disasters in the upper watershed of the Varzob river basin - adaptation to climate change in the Republic of Tajikistan"; 2 - "Development and demonstration of water saving technologies for crops irrigation within year-round use of irrigation lands for adaptation to climate change in Central Tajikistan".
Mrs. Guldjamal Nurmukhamedova, CWP-Turkmenistan, presented the pilot project "Development of water saving technology for the furrow irrigation of cotton by portable pipelines". This project will be implemented in Akhalsky viloyat in Turkmenistan.
Mr. Shukhrat Mukhamedjanov, representative from Uzbekistan, presented the pilot project on assessment of irrigation water, agrotechnic methods and agro-economic characteristics of the pilot farm. The project aim is to ensure technologies for control and fast response to any unfavorable situation related to climate change.
Mr. Batyr Hajiev, UNECE representative, delivered the presentation "Jointly adapting to climate change in transboundary basins: Example of the Chu Talas Basin". He informed about the project that is aimed to improve the adaptive capacity of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan and to support dialogue and cooperation on the needed steps to design an adaptation strategy in the transboundary context and thereby prevent controversy on the use of water resources.
Participants actively discussed the impacts of the climate change and related adaptation measures linked to water management. They approved the GWP CACENA Program on Adaptation to Climate Change for 2013-2015 and decided to continue efforts on further developing of water partnership for IWRM principles implementation.
(More about the Dushanbe High-Level International Conference on Water Cooperation on www.hlicwc.org)