Attachments
Context & Rationale
The Syr Darya River Basin, which stretches from Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan as it flows through the Fergana Valley, serves a 14 million population4 in all three countries. However, the basin lacks centralized management, leading downstream communities within its complex network of rivers, canals, and dams to often be dependent on the water policies of neighbouring countries. Challenges in water management have often had negative consequences for agriculture, livestock, and hydropower in the Valley, which are all dependent on the river basin to function.
Recent external stressors have put additional pressure on these networks, including climate change, which has led to a reduction in snowmelt and irregular rainfall, as well as changes in glacial discharge,6 as well as inefficient irrigation practices, outdated infrastructure, and mismanagement of canal networks. This has large implications for agriculture yields and pasture sustainability, which are the main source of the income and livelihood outcomes for communities in the valley.7 In extreme cases, this has contributed to border conflicts.
To help address climate change challenges to the water and natural resources management in local watersheds in the Fergana Valley, Acted, IMPACT and International Alert, with funding from USAID, launched the STREAM program in 2022.9 Research conducted as part of the initial project in the Ak-Suu, Isfayramsay10 and Kozu-Baglan11 watersheds and highlighted the interconnectedness of climate change, anthropogenic activities, and effective natural resources management. In addition, the evidence-based, tailored approach, integration of advanced technologies, and community involvement findings underscored the need for comprehensive strategies such as the implementation of integrated water resources management to address the complex challenges posed by climate change in the greater Syr Darya River basin. Additional support from EuropeAID has allowed for the expansion of the STREAM program into the nearby Isfana watershed, shared by Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, and will be implemented by Acted, IMPACT, and Central Asian Alliance for Water and Ecology (CAAWE), to support local communities improve their overall effectiveness in managing water and other natural resources in the watershed. To do this, a comprehensive and updated understanding of sustainable climate implications on natural resource management in the Isfana watershed within the Fergana Valley is required. Building upon lessons learned from its previous STREAM exercise, IMPACT conducted a detailed Area Based Assessment of natural resource management in the Isfana watershed (map 1),12 particularly with regards to the impact of climate change focusing on hydrological and ecological processes in river, rainfed land, agricultural and pasturelands, forests, industry and other water and land uses.