Information systems in water sector of Central Asia: challenges and perspectives
Date
2012-04
Authors
Abdullaev, Iskandar, author
Rakhmatullaev, Shavkat, author
U.S. Committee on Irrigation and Drainage, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Abstract
A water resource planning for the river basins is the most crucial element of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach. Development and implementation of the river basin plans enables water management organizations to cope with increasing uncertainties due to climate change, sectoral competition and population growth. Contemporary water management decisions use many sources of information and forms of data. However, the data and information on water sector is often dispersed, heterogeneous, incomplete, and not comparable. New social and political realms require a participatory involvement of the different stakeholders for decision making process in water sector. Thus open source, easy to access information and data management systems are successful. The aim of this paper is to present practical results on improving water management in Central Asia through application of information and communication technologies at the operational level across diverse institutional settings, i.e., transboundary, watershed and national levels of the region. The case study presented is conducted within framework of Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia programme. The programme is the part of the 'Berlin Process', an initiative by the German Federal Government to support the countries of Central Asia in water management and to make water a subject of intensified transboundary cooperation.
Description
Presented at Irrigated agriculture responds to water use challenges - strategies for success: USCID water management conference held on April 3-6, 2012 in Austin, Texas.