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Winrock International

Legacy Project

Central Asia Water User Associations Support Program (WUASP)

Between 2004 and 2011, the USAID Water User Associations Support Program (WUASP) assisted 110 Water User Associations (WUAs) in Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to develop the skills and capabilities to effectively plan, maintain and manage water systems in the unique terrain and hydrology of central Asia.Through intensive training in democratic organization governance, business and water management, the WUAs increased their capacity to improve transboundary water management; resolve and prevent conflicts between water users; increase access to irrigation; and expand agricultural productivity to improve food security and increase farmer incomes. The program cultivated principles of local self-governance through training activities and emphasis on participation, transparency and accountability. New skills and the rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation systems allowed WUA members to better manage their systems and provide irrigation water more reliably and equitably. With improved water management and irrigation, agricultural production increased across more than 150,000 hectares, and over 8,000 hectares of abandoned farmland was returned to production. These WUAs provided a model to scale across Central Asia.

Funder: USAID

Project Timeline: May 1, 2004 - April 30, 2011

Countries: Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic

Program Areas: Agriculture, Resilience and Water , Agriculture and Water