Impacts from Sustainable Land Management Investments

Case Study - Kyrgyzstan

UNCCD CRIC - 5

Buenos Aires, Argentina March 2007

Outline
Introduction Desertification and Land Degradation Processes Kyrgyzstan Water Resources and Irrigation Water User Associations in the Kyrgyz Republic Case Study WUA Performance in Orok Village Conclusions

Objectives
What are Impacts from investments in Sustainable Land and Water Management (SLM)? Linkages between SLM, economic growth, poverty reduction, and good governance?

Do investments in Natural Resources Management Improve peoples livelihoods? Decrease land degradation rates? Strengthen local environmental governance?
Do Water User Associations (WUAs) Achieve positive results in SLM?

Desertification and Land Degradation

Desertification is land degradation
Reduces ecosystem integrity
Productivity, biodiversity, and resilience

Causes
Multiple, complex, and varied Over-exploitation of natural resources Poor agricultural practices, overgrazing, deforestation, etc.

UNCCD in Central Asia

National Action Programs (NAPs) Subregional Action Plan (SAP)
Monitoring and evaluation of processes Drought early warning system Improving water use in agriculture Combating land degradation
Country Area million ha Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan 271.7 19.8 14.3 48.8 44.7 399.4 Arable land million ha 22.5 1.3 0.9 2.2 4.7 51.4 Irrigated land million ha 3.6 1.1 0.7 1.8 4.3 11.4

Central Asia

Cooperation
Water-saving technologies in agriculture Enterprises for agricultural technology Water Users Associations (federations) Best practices Principles of free-market-oriented agricultural systems

CACILM
Central Asian Countries Initiative for Land Management ADB supported program to
Promote sustainable land management Build capacity in land and water resource management

National Programming Framework (2006 2016)

Capacity building
Agriculture, Forestry, Pastures

Research
Integrated resource management

UNCCD in Kyrgyz Republic

Joined 1997, ratified 1999 Coordination Council - Leads in implementing UNCCD National Action Plan
Natural resources management Public awareness Combat land degradation Land productivity Improve economy Promote rural tourism Restore pastures Reforestation Monitoring

Kyrgyz Land & Water Resources

Area
Total land - 19.85 million ha Arable land - 1.3 million ha Irrigated land - 1.1 million ha

2003
Highly saline 14,900 ha Moderately saline 31,600 ha Slightly saline 65,200 ha Waterlogged 114,100 ha

Kyrgyz Economy
Mountainous country
Ave. elevation 2,750 m

Population - 5 million Agriculture

34% of GDP 43% of work force 20% of exports

Water Use
Agricultural
9.4 billion m3

Domestic and industrial

0.3 billion m3

Kyrgyz GDP per capita 1995-2004

Kyrgyz Land Reforms

Transition
From
Agricultural Production (%)
100.0 90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year State (%) Private (%)

Large, collective and state farms Centrally planned economy

To
Many small-scale producers in a market economy

Kyrgyz Agricultural Output, 1990 2005

Kyrgyz Farm Management

Shortage of
Support services Microfinance Inputs Infrastructure Marketing outlets
30.0 Grains Cotton 25.0

Yield (100 kg/ha)

20.0

15.0

10.0

Small size of farms

Initial land distribution Un-economic units

5.0

0.0 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Year

Kyrgyz Agricultural Yields, 1990 2005

Kyrgyz Arable Lands

Problems
Soil erosion Salinity Waterlogging Loss of vegetative cover Weed cover

Caused by
Abandonment of farms Unsustainable agricultural practices Weak linkage between land users and state agencies and private sector Decreased land reclamation Poverty of rural population

Kyrgyz Irrigation Systems

Problems
Secondary salinization Lack of Drainage Waterlogging Erosion

Caused by
low efficiency of irrigation networks due to poor maintenance low efficiency of water use at the farm level deterioration of drainage network lack of financial and technical resources

Payment for Water

Farmers pay
$0.75/1000 m3

Parliament wont increase to

$2.50/1000 m3

Cost of irrigation system and service

$58/ha 6 x more than expenditures
Irrigation fee for different regions of Kyrgyzstan

Water User Associations

Land privatization
Land Code Law on Farming 1999

WUAs
1995 2002
On-farm irrigation systems transferred to WUAs

2005
Water rights based on hydrological basins Tariffs reflects irrigation and drainage system O&M costs

Development of Kyrgyz WUAs 1999 2007

IMT in Kyrgyzstan
IMT to WUAs
1991
504 irrigation systems 1 million irrigated ha

2005
430 WUAs 708 thousand irrigated ha

Successful where
cash crops are grown

favorable economic conditions water-short areas

Improvements expected
Rule of law Financial management Water user awareness Farmer participation

Irrigated land under Kyrgyz WUAs

WUA Sustainability
Establish & collect fees
Cover O&M, and administrative costs Water service fees

In kind payments
Allowed up to 30% Running 50% - 80%

ISF Collection Rates in of Kyrgyzstan

Case Study: Orok Village

Orok Village Administration Jantai Tush WUA
Irrigated land 1,247 ha Water use 8,500,000 m3

Debt $3,108
6833 inhabitants
1931 families

1867 have no conveniences 210 Poor Families ($186/person/year) 65 Moderately Poor ($124/person/year) 28 Extremely Poor ($44/person/year)

Livestock has increased inn last 4 years

WUA State & Activities

Established 2002 Canal network
65 km 50 km unlined

Net value $55,334 O&M $907 - $1,295

Staff
Director Accountant Hydraulic technician Ditch riders (seasonal)
Farmers: Where can we get good seeds?

WUA Water Supply

Interfarm irrigation system
Ala-Archa river Kirovsky canal Jantai main canal Canals P-1 and P-2

Some flumes are damaged Water delivery difficult

Irrigation for seedling emergence

Water Intake and Supply (thousands m3)

Irrigation Systems
Water Use in Irrigation & WUA Effectiveness
~100% using furrow and border strip irrigation 65% measured volume with a weir 35% measured volume "by eye ~100% water distributed appropriately

Irrigation Service Payments

Crop Yields
Farmers have
7 tractors 2 harvesters 3 balers 6 trucks

Crop Yields (% of 2003)

Farm Animals

(2004 as % of 2002)

Farm Microcredit
Some farmers obtained loans ($958 - $5,180) Some farmers did not
High rates (up to 30%) Difficult document preparation Repayment difficulty Length of loan period

Some Problems
Shortages of
Funds (farmers, village, WUA)
Maintenance of machinery, irrigation systems and structures. New machinery and equipment

Processing and storage facilities Markets Pastures

Shortcomings of land and agrarian reform

Break-up of large enterprises Reduction of
Management services Technical knowledge Seed farming

Lack of knowledge about

Farming Effective use of water

Conclusions
Problems of WUAs
Tariffs for irrigation services are too low Excessive "in kind" payment of irrigation service fees

WUAs
Passive Lack physical infrastructure Management not aware of authority and responsibility Incomplete managerial functions Lack management transparency Poor auditing conditions

Conclusions
Benefits of WUAs
Water users
Use irrigation water more responsibly Understand that excessive use of water for irrigation has a cost Participate in water management Undertake mutually agreed activities for resource management Participate in establishing tariffs for irrigation water supply Control operation and maintenance of irrigation systems Take responsibility for decision making and implementation Reduction of moisture-loving crops New institutions have demonstrated potential and vitality Set example of proper management of local associations Provide input to water sector reform Assist in restructuring water resources management Improve water distribution Advise on irrigation methods

WUAs