R4D Kyrgyzstan

The Development of Civil Society in Central Asia.

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:32:00 GMT

Miscellaneous J. Giffen, L. Earle and C. Buxton 2006 143 pp. This book is based upon a series of research studies undertaken by local research institutes, academics and NGOs in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan between 1999 and 2003. The studies had a dual aim: firstly, to deepen understanding of the dynamics of civil society development in these countries, and secondly, to strengthen local institutions research capacity in data collection and analysis. Drawing on the findings of these studies and placing them within the wider body of programmatic experience and research undertaken by INTRAC and its local partners since 1994, this book will provide insight into the way in which civil society has developed during the period of Central Asian independence to date. Maintaining a critical stance and acknowledging the complexity of Central Asian realities, it examines how civil society has been shaped, hindered and enriched by internal and external forces, both contemporary and historical. Combining findings from empirical case studies with analysis of relevant literature, this book is both an investigation into the specificities of Central Asian civil societies and a broader examination of the emergence of civil society in transition countries.

The role of non-timber forest products in poverty reduction

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:00:00 GMT

The latest issue of id21 insights examines whether sustainable production and commercialisation of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are the way forward for successful conservation and rural development in tropical forested areas

id21 insights 77. Are NTFPs a way out of poverty?

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:44:00 GMT

Miscellaneous id21 2009 id21 insights 77, IDS, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 8 pp.

Harvesting, using and trading non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are some of the livelihood strategies adopted by people with access to forest resources. Over the past 20 years, governments, conservation and development agencies and non-government organisations have encouraged the marketing and sale of NTFPs as a way of boosting income for poor people in tropical areas and encouraging forest conservation. Is this a way forward for successful conservation and rural development?

This forestry issue of id21 insights looks at some examples of the successful exploitation of NTFPs, and the lessons learned from NTFP markets around the world. It includes articles that focus on:

the benefits of harvesting wildlife products, such as bushmeat, in Equatorial Guinea
the need for local processing, with a case study of rubber tappers in Brazil
the challenges facing walnut farmers in rural Kyrgyzstan
the potential for increased harvesting of sal seeds in India
how the Frutíferas project is providing information for remote Amazonian communities
the importance of governing market chains for NTFPs, with a case study of market chains for rubber in Indonesia
analysis of the factors that contribute to the successful commercialisation of NTFPs

The human perspective on health care reform: coping with diabetes in Kyrgyzstan

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:10:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Hopkinson, B.; Balabanova, D.; McKee, M.; Kutzin, J. 2004 Diabetes Voice, 2004, 49(3), 10-13 pp. [shortened reprint] Kyrgyzstan is a small mountainous country with a predominantly agricultural economy; it gained independence with the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991. For a significant sector of the Kyrgyzstani population, economic difficulties at national level translate into high unemployment and widespread impoverishment. Kyrgyzstan inherited an extensive but basic health-care system, with a functioning albeit fragmented structure for managing chronic diseases. The authors of this article report on the findings of a rapid appraisal study which uses the St Vincent Declaration as a gold standard to assess the performance of diabetes care in Kyrgyzstan.

Health service utilisation in the Former Soviet Union: evidence from eight countries.

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:49:00 GMT

Miscellaneous Balabanova, D.; McKee, M.; Pomerleau, J.; Rose, R.; Haerpfer, C. 2004 Health Services Research, 39(6), Part II, 1927-1949, 2004. In the past decade, the countries that emerged from the Soviet Union have experienced major changes in the inherited Soviet model of health care, which was centrally planned and provided universal, free access to basic care. The underlying principle of universality remains, but coexists with new funding and delivery systems and growing out-of-pocket payments. The objectives of this study were to examine patterns and determinants of health care utilization, the extent of payment for health care, and the settings in which care is obtained in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.

id21 insights 56. Make childhood poverty history.

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:33:00 GMT

Miscellaneous id21 2005 id21 insights 56, IDS, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 6 pp. The lead article in this issue is concerned with tackling child poverty. Other topics covered in brief articles include: Economic policy must recognise children; Educating women = healthier children?; Children's issues ignored in Ethiopia's PRSP process; Cash transfers can reduce childhood poverty; Monitoring budgets for child rights; Dynamics of child poverty in the Kyrgyz Republic; Does child labour always undermine education?; and 'High achievers' prioritise social policy.

Untold stories: the human face of poverty dynamics. Policy Brief No. 11.

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:09:00 GMT

Miscellaneous 2008 CPRC Policy Brief No. 11, Chronic Poverty Research Centre, London, UK, 6 pp. To show the human face of chronic poverty, this policy brief offers vignettes from the life stories of five people. The lives of Maymana and Mofizul, Bakyt, Vuyiswa and Angel (from Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa and Zimbabwe) demonstrate the varied and multiple causes of chronic poverty, and how social protection has, in some cases, helped them improve their wellbeing. The policy brief suggests that such life history material can be an important source of data for policy. Whilst life histories are not representative, they highlight key themes and processes which are 'typical' of individuals with similar sets of sociobiographical characteristics who live in similar social, economic and political circumstances.

Working Paper No. 39. The SCO: a regional organisation in the making.

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:22:00 GMT

Miscellaneous A. Matveeva and A. Giustozzi 2008 Crisis States Working Papers Series No.2, No. 39, 32 pp. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which was established in 2001, comprises six Eurasian states (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) and covers territory hosting a quarter of the world's population. This article examines the rapid growth of the SCO. The study is structured in the following way: it first assesses the recent history of violence and potential for conflict in the region, and then outlines the SCO mandate, balance of power and internal and external dynamics. It discusses the SCO's shared values, and how they facilitate or impede the development of common action. It then proceeds to outline the SCO's main activities in the security sphere and its 'alternative model' of statehood and covers the role of observers and other actors in the region vis-à-vis the SCO. Finally it concludes with reflections on the SCO's effectiveness. Some of our judgements are tentative because the SCO is a new organisation. It might well become a major player in Central Asia and beyond but it could also limp along with little impact if Sino-Russian relations deteriorate.

Groundwater protection and management for developing cities: Guidelines using case-study experience. Report no. CR/02/155N.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Report B. L. Morris, R. G. Litvak, K. M. Ahmed., British Geological Survey 2002 The tools used in the project were evolved by the BGS in a previous 1998-99 DFID-KAR project R6863 'Tools for assessing and managing groundwater pollution threats in urban areas' following a process of partner consultation, review and feedback with four partners from India, Bangladesh and the Kyrghyz Republic. The tools aim to improve the management of groundwater resources in cities where there is little information to support policy development, by helping to identify and prioritise problems, clarify issues, involve stakeholders and build commitment where some or all of these elements are lacking.

In many developing countries, the inexorable expansion of cities is putting pressure on urban aquifer systems used for public, industrial and commercial water supply. The realisation that water resources are finite is starting to force those responsible for urban water supply, wastewater disposal and drainage in such developing cities to consider how sustainability can be

introduced into their plans for infrastructural improvement.

It is against this background that this collaborative research project was initiated. The rationale of the project was to demonstrate whether an Action Plan comprising informed and locally practical aquifer protection policies can be developed within the limited financial and institutional resources typically available to those tasked with managing and planning the urban water infrastructure of a groundwater-dependent city in an emerging nation. The project's goal was to increase sustainability of groundwater used for public water supply in cities, and its purpose is the improved protection of aquifers from urban/industrial activities.

The project worked through the medium of case-studies in the cities of Bishkek and Narayanganj in order to develop robust practical assessment tools for wider use and also to gain practical experience in how to engage stakeholders so as to transfer the results of the assessments. The

work drew on the experience from these two case-studies, which were in contrasting hydrogeological and socio-economic settings, to demonstrate the methodology and the individual techniques employed and to show how they could have more general application in other groundwater-dependent developing cities.

The case studies used in this project were taken through stages 1-3 of the strategy evolution process using each of these tools to produce a draft Action Plan i.e. the threshold of Stage 4 Implementation.

Groundwater Management Action Plan. Stage 2. Situation Analysis. Urban Groundwater Questionnaire.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Questionnaire British Geological Survey 0 This Questionnaire seeks to collect data on a core set of urban groundwater data which can be used in:

a) The formulation of a comprehensive groundwater status profile of city; and

b) The development of a database useful for developing groundwater management strategies and policies and, to this end, running the Decision Support System Tool.

The Questionnaire is split into six sections. The first section (A) deals with baseline information considered important in any urban environment data gathering/profiling exercise, including urban demographics and economic activities. The remaining five sections (B-F) deal with groundwater conditions, use, contaminant loads, management/institutional arrangements and

degradation impacts, respectively. Each section contains a help sheet with guidance on completing the forms. Guidance is provided on items such as potential data sources, computations and units.

The Questionnaire is intended to be filled out by a study team, or mailed out in sections for completion by appropriate personnel.

Groundwater Management Action Plan. Stage 2. Situation Analysis. Urban Groundwater Questionnaire - Kyrghyzstan example.

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Questionnaire R. G. Litvak, Kyrghyz Research Institute of Irrigation. 1998 A worked example of the urban groundwater questionnaire is given for Bishkek, Kyrghyzstan based on 1998 data.

Review of planning and policies on extensive livestock development in Central Asia

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Migratory livestock husbandry - the traditional livelihood for many Central Asian peoples - persisted in altered forms during the Soviet period of collectivisation, and today continues to make an important contribution to the national economies of the newly-independent states of Central Asia. Much of Central Asia, being semi-arid to arid grassland, is suited to extensive livestock production, but can only be converted to other uses through irrigation, which has proved to have major environmental costs. Many livestock management questions revolve around the seasonal variability of usable pastures, due to differences of altitude, cold, biomass production and pasture quality. There are recurrent problems in the dry desert-steppe-mountain ecology of Central Asia. Over the last century, several approaches have been applied to these problems. Prior to Soviet collectivisation, animals migrated in order to avoid areas of temporary feed insufficiency, snow and/or cold, and to take advantage of natural forage surpluses in other areas. Later, under collectivisation, livestock movement was restricted, cultivated forage substituted for the natural pastures previously captured through migratory movements, and winter settlements were imposed. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the introduction of agricultural markets has, however, subjected the partially sedentarised livestock producers to new pressures. The newly independent Central Asian republics are now in various stages of transformation, including in some cases, privatisation. Restructuring of the extensive livestock sector has three main components: legal changes in the status of grazing land, the distribution of formerly collectively-owned livestock to individual families or co-operatives, and lastly, the emergence of free markets for livestock inputs and products. The rapid co-evolution of these three processes means that profound changes are occurring in the livestock economies of households and nations., at a depth and pace which cannot be monitored by the normal state statistical services. The momentum of change means that policies and projects are being designed in an information vacuum. To identify policy and research issues on extensive livestock production systems dependent on natural pastures, in the ex-Soviet Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan The review presents policy and research issues on extensive livestock production in the ex-Soviet Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, where up to 60% of land is pasture. It is based on English and Russian material, and discussions with livestock and pasture specialists in June 1995.

The dry desert-steppe-mountain ecology of Central Asia is well-suited to extensive, mobile livestock husbandry, which persisted during Soviet collectivisation and is still economically significant. Current restructuring brings legal changes in grazing land, redistribution of collectively-owned livestock and emerging open markets for livestock inputs and products. Concurrently, export markets and prices for livestock products are substantially shifting. In response, pastoralists are altering their management of livestock and land. One option is to make greater use of natural pastures by lengthening the migratory cycle, thus reducing dependence on expensive cultivated fodder. With the pace of economic change and pastoral response, policies and products are being designed in an information vacuum. There is a debate among scientists within Central Asia and the international community about the environmental sustainability and economic benefts of extensive versus intensive livestock husbandry in semi-arid areas. Proposed collaborative research by natural and social scientists from Central Asia, UK and USA would contribute to this debate and provide some policy guidelines.

Institutional complexity and resource access in transition: challenges of co-operation for livelihoods improvement

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Awaiting Confirmation of Completion Access to resources after large-scale land reform greatly affects the ways in which landowners are able to utilise their newly acquired property in order to secure their livelihoods. One coping mechanism that may be effective in alleviating asset constraints in production involves landowner co-operation around a spectrum of voluntary associations or institutional arrangements, including some with the characteristics of pre-reform collective co-operatives. Such associations and arrangements permit the asset portfolio of any one agent to widen through exchange and co-operation with other agents. There is some evidence of such rural institutional complexity from countries as diverse as Krygyzstan, Romania, Vietnam and the Ukraine. To date, however, systematic study has been exceedingly limited. Building on this limited literature, the proposed study represents an exploratory step to explain how participation in new, diverse farming and agribusiness organisations can help or hinder poor rural landowners as they attempt to adapt to new political, economic and social circumstances. The institutions on which the study will focus are voluntary associations between the rural poor, that allow them to overcome a variety of resource constraints specifically related to land use for farming. For instance, planting and harvesting co-ordination between farmers with contiguous land plots that allow them to overcome the problems associated with fragmented holdings, or the nomination of a few families to farm all the village land, thus releasing other families to seek employment in different sectors. Compare complex array of tenure arrangements, co-operative institutions and on the ground adaptations that the rural poor are experimenting with in response to land reform. Understand and establish a reliable typology of the complex array of land tenure arrangements, co-operative institutions and other on-the-ground adaptations that rural Kyrgyz and Romanians are experimenting with in response to land reform.

Identify the circumstances and criteria which contribute to the relative success of new 'middle-level' institutions in promoting sustainable livelihoods, thus keeping rural people from moving into poverty.

Based on the above, come up with a more precise formulation of hypotheses to inform further research.

Contribute to the advancement of policies for enhancing the performance of such institutions, through analysing what processes work best to provide the most effective access for the poor and vulnerable.

Impact of the withdrawal of modern energy on urban poor

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Ongoing Policy makers and civil society organisations will understand the impacts on livelihoods of the urban poor of deterioration of modern energy supplies (in E. Europe), with a view to incorporating mitigating activities into reform policy and pro-poor activities respectively. Of more interest to the research is an understanding of how people's fuel choices and use are likely to change as the reforms start to bite. For example, if a significant number of people use wood to substitute for electricity, then there will be consequences for the regulation of timber industries in order to protect forests. It appears that gas is the preferred substitute for electricity and whilst in Albania there are plans to expand the local LPG industry, which would appear to be a timely response to changes in the electricity supply industry, there is no LPG industry to speak of in Kyrgyzstan where electricity prices remain relatively low. Social protection mechanisms proposed are based on existing state support mechanisms, yet the data indicates that some households experiencing poverty are not receiving any form of benefit e.g. up to a third of pensioners are not receiving pension benefits. The cost of making benefit systems more effective needs to be included in any analysis of social protection mechanisms. Changing to cheaper fuels will have not only environmental implications associated with burning gas, wood and coal in preference to electricity (mostly renewable from hydro plant), but also health implications on a domestic level. There will also be implications on livelihoods (notably health and education) of likely coping strategies associated with reduction of energy use. The implications of this for the urban poor is being discussed in final workshops within the research project. The final output of the project should inform decision makers regarding how industry reforms can be linked to social protection systems in such a way to minimise the negative impact on the poor. The research methodology employs a combination of qualitative data and non parametric statistical analysis to investigate the links between changes in the energy industry and changes in household energy behaviour. Household surveys questionnaires were developed through preliminary surveys in each of the three countries, which included interviews with government ministries, regulators, energy related institutions, electricity distribution companies, NGOs, local energy suppliers, and local residents. The main household surveys have now been completed and the data is being prepared for analysis.

The preliminary surveys confirmed that the energy reform processes in all three countries do indeed have potential negative social and economic impacts on the poor. It is also evident that the full implications for the poor of liberalisation are yet to be realised. Tariff increases to date have been minimal e.g. only nominal increase in lifeline tariff in Albania, and although lifeline tariffs have increased in Kyrgyzstan, they remain low in real terms e.g. around 1.1 cent/kWh. Electricity companies are only just beginning to address the issues of non-payment and theft e.g. meter installation programmes are under way in Albania where over half of respondents receive nominal rather than metered bills (only 7% of respondents have no meter in Moldova and Kyrgyzstan). Nevertheless, the authorities recognise the potential consequences of increased electricity costs, and are investigating mechanisms to administer additional funds to compensate for price increases e.g. the Kyrgyz Tariff Policy Project (funded by DFID). However, social protection mechanisms proposed are based on existing systems i.e. existing registers for pensions, disability, unemployment benefits etc. Two main concerns have been voiced - will the extra money be enough (pensioners have been identified as a high risk group), and what will happen to households who fall through the social protection net?

Preliminary results confirm a general preference for gas for cooking (LPG and piped, depending on national markets). Although gas is also the dominant space heating fuel in Albania, use is low in Kyrgyzstan because gas is only piped to dwellings that also have district heating, so there is no demand; electricity and coal are used instead. Albania is the only country registering significant use of wood.

The data shows that even though the full impact of reforms has yet to be felt, some have already changed their choice of fuels and payment behaviour. For example, in Albania over a quarter of people have changed fuels, with most changing from electricity to LPG for cooking and heating, whilst in Kyrgyzstan less than 20% have changed fuels. It is interesting to note that whilst 30% of respondents in Albania have started paying for electricity over the last 5 years, 20% have stopped paying.

When faced with potential enforcement of payment and price increases, enforcement is regarded as the main threat where payment rates are low (Albania), otherwise electricity price rises are regarded as most important (Kyrgyzstan). Potential responses appear to be mixed; for example people in Albania say they will change to cheaper fuels, whilst those in Kyrgyzstan prefer to reduce their energy consumption. What is clear is that people will have difficulty paying, and the remaining analysis intends to look at responses to coping strategies to predict the impacts on livelihoods.

Now that data sets from all three countries are available, the analysis needs to be completed and a draft policy paper drawn up. Research partners in each country will then circulate these amongst national experts as part of a consultation and verification phase. Finally, a set of reports will be published and disseminated amongst various stakeholder groups.

Groundwater protection and management for developing cities

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed Increase sustainability of groundwater used for public water supply in cities by improving protection of aquifers from urban/industrial activities Local aquifers sustain the water needs of many of the world's 1.9 billion developing world city dwellers. These aquifers need to be managed for sustainability rather than as an asset that can be discarded in the future. These guidelines can help the process. For 2 case-study cities a staged groundwater management action plan was devised using a range of analytical tools. The technical inputs of pollution risk assessment were complemented by an extensive stakeholder consultation exercise. Guidelines have been produced, applicable to a wide range of developing cities.

Aquifer protection plans, evolved with the active participation of local stakeholders, need to be implemented in many more developing cities.

Privatisation/transfer of irrigation management - Central Asia

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed The five Republics of Central Asia, as elsewhere in the former Soviet Union, have suffered considerable economic hardship following independence. Except in the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan, in 1999 GNP was lower than 10 years earlier (by over 10% in Tajikistan). Despite a 2.3% increase in GNP in the Kyrgyz Republic, GNP per head remains at US$300. Only in Kazakhstan is GNP/head above US$ 1,000.

In this situation, Governments cannot afford to keep the often-sophisticated irrigation systems operable and are transferring ownership, together with responsibility for operation and maintenance, to users and to quasi-private sector organisations.

At the same time, there is considerable other social change, including division, distribution and privatisation of farms whilst social services are strained by the ongoing transition. As large farming units are broken up, major modifications to the canal systems are required. In many areas, the rural population is ill-prepared for the changes; in the irrigation sector, for example, former farm operatives are having to learn both irrigation system and farm management. Considerable investment is required to keep the ageing irrigation systems operable. Without effective transfer of irrigation system management, investment in rehabilitation will fail to deliver reliable, sustainable water supplies - on which the vast majority of the 32.5 million rural population depend.

To date, the largely project-based approach to irrigation management transfer (IMT) has treated the rural populations as 'guinea pigs' in the search for a model for successful turnover. Such initiatives frequently include support to the newly established small farms in establishing water management organisations such as Water User Associations and Federations and institutional support to Government to create a suitable institutional framework. Governments and local institutions have been helped in this IMT by several donors, usually operating independently. The World Bank, Asian Development Bank and USAID are all involved in significant IMT projects, whilst NGOs and organisations such as Tacis have separately been obtaining valuable experience in more discrete assistance exercises.

Despite appreciable effort and financial support, there has been mixed success in such transfer of irrigation system management. Failed 'experiments' not only represent a waste of investment, but also set back the process of transfer to private management. This leaves communities dependent on limited Government funding, and fails to capitalise of the full potential human resources that could be available to keep the irrigation systems functioning. The rural poor can be left more vulnerable than before the 'experiment' took place.

After nearly a decade of change, there is a wealth of information potentially available for Governments, donors, local and foreign specialists to tap into and to help avoid the pitfalls of earlier transfer programmes. However this information is largely held either at project level or with individual development professionals. There is little easily accessible within the public domain.

Bringing together and disseminating this information, as guidelines, would give confidence to Governments and local institutes that their projects were building on best practice and were not part of continued experimentation. It would meet a specific need perceived by both foreign development professionals and government institutes as demonstrated by the support set out in Annex 3.3, and through this, reduce the vulnerability of rural communities' to inappropriate project design.

Although the research is aimed at the five Republics, it is anticipated that this will concentrate on generic lessons and thus will be applicable elsewhere. Indeed, for this reason the research's success is not contingent on obtaining good co-operation from Governments in all countries.

To raise awareness of best practice in applying appropriate institutional and operational changes to achieve irrigation management transfer, learning from regional experience in Central Asia. Better awareness of the successes and pitfalls in adopting irrigation management transfer to improve irrigation system functionality.

DFID lesson sharing with ECAD land for development programme

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed DFID/EECAD participated in the First European Summit on the Land for Development Programme (LFDP) initiated by the UN Economic Commission for Europe Real Estate Advisory Group (UN ECE-REAG) in September 2002. The summit aimed to share experience on rights of access to land as one important driver of development and poverty reduction. Representatives of governments, business community, NGOs and international donor organisations (WB, EC, EBRD, FAO, USAID, DFID) from 23 countries discussed the challenges involved in land market development in transition economies. The Lesson Sharing with ECAD Land for Development Programme was subsequently commissioned to help facilitate the progress of the LFDP in its first crucial year of existence and to make use of DFID's accumulated expertise in ECA countries and in particular to support dissemination of the alternative dispute resolution mechanism (Third Party Abitration Courts) dealing with issues around access to land and property. To prepare training and information materials on relevant DFID projects/programmes; to carry out study visits/seminars to relevant DFID TPAC case studies; and to support preparations for the Second European Summit on the Land for Development Programme. The DFID TPAC experience will be presented at the summit in anticipation that it will contribute to a stronger "influencing" and dissemination of best practice to other countries within the wider region. The project support to UN ECE in its preparations for the Second Summit will result in a stronger "influencing" role and support DFID - UN ECE partnership development. To prepare training and information materials on relevant DFID projects/programmes; to carry out study visits/seminars to relevant DFID TPAC case studies; and to support preparations for the Second European Summit on the Land for Development Programme. An information pack ,Third party arbitration court: experience of DFID projects with a TPAC component implemented in Russia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine, was prepared.

Two study visits were organised for delegations from Albania and Slovakia.

Preparations for the Second Summit on the Land for Development Programme started in July with a meeting of the Steering Group of the Land for Development Programme, subsequently an ADAS project co-ordinator is providing assistance in organising the summit on a full-time basis.

Equity irrigation and poverty - how to distribute water to the poor

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Awaiting Confirmation of Completion Equitable distribution of water on irrigation systems is crucial to small farmers' livelihoods and thus plays an important role in reducing poverty. However, in practice it is difficult to achieve or to monitor. Supplies from the main system to Water User Associations (WUAs) may be monitored accurately and the WUAs may even be charged according to the actual volume of water used. However, it is usually assumed that local water users associations will be able to manage the internal distribution without needing any formal mechanism. This assumption is often not valid: distribution then becomes inequitable, disputes are common and livelihoods suffer. Some way of monitoring the flows to each user is needed to ensure that users get what they pay for - this is required for transparency and trust in operation, which usually affects the poorer farmers most severely. However, actual flow measurement is always difficult, often inaccurate and easy to disrupt, and the cost of collecting and using data is very high. Proxy indicators of flows are more likely to be appropriate and they need to be suited to specific local requirements. Possible measures include time or depth of irrigation, rotational (on-off) distribution, or proportional division of flow. Other solutions include appointment of common irrigators by the WUA. The type and accuracy of measurement needed depends on the situation - social conditions, the types of crops grown, land ownership patterns, and the availability of water being among the key factors. It will not be possible to identify standard solutions, but it should be possible to develop appropriate procedures on selected projects and use this process as a basis for establishing a common, systematic approach to developing procedures elsewhere. There are many issues that influence the performance of WUAs. However, the question of how to distribute water and monitor its distribution has not been adequately addressed by previous research even though it is at the heart of effective irrigation water management. Realistic, rational and socially acceptable solutions now need defining. To improve livelihoods outcomes of poor farmers in south and east Asia by enabling user organisations to share water in an agreed manner, so that poor farmers receive an improved supply and wastage is reduced. Evaluation with key stakeholders of existing procedures for monitoring water distribution by WUAs in different social and agro-ecological conditions.

Participatory identification and introduction of proxy (or direct) indicators for monitoring flows on selected schemes and enabling planned distribution of water to all users including disadvantaged groups.

Guidelines for developing and introducing these techniques to enable monitoring on other WUAs, and the process for making this information available.

Publication of findings and dissemination via national workshops and international journals.

The Extent and Nature of Absolute Poverty

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Current To produce cost-effective and efficient ways of eradicating poverty, it must be defined and measured accurately. Social science research shows that, whilst all cultures have a concept and definition of poverty, these often vary. Until the World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen there was no agreed definition. However, the 1995 Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action included the preparation of national anti-poverty plans based on measures in all countries of 'absolute' and 'overall' poverty. 'Absolute' poverty is defined as ,a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to social services., This research will provide reliable scientific estimates of the extent and nature of absolute poverty in the world, based on the definition agreed to by the government of 117 countries at the 1995 World Summit on Social Development and within the framework of International Human Rights Conventions. This research will provide reliable and valid scientific measurements of the extent and nature of absolute poverty of adults and children, by operationalising the internationally agreed definition. Without good comparable measures of poverty, it will be impossible to determine if any anti-poverty policies are working effectively and efficiently.

Implementation of Poverty Reduction Strategies in the NIS

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Completed This study identifies the key challenges facing NIS governments in implementing full PRSPs. This involves an assessment of the PRSPs of Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan, and examination of the actions taken after launching the PRSPs and a comparison with the experiences of Moldova and Uzbekistan in developing PRSPs. In identifying the key challenges, the study assesses the depth of integration of the PRSP in the budget process; the existence of sector strategies/work plans with clear priorities in the PRSP framework; and the extent to which indicators, monitoring and feedback arrangements have been put in place and utilized effectively.