BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug. 27
By Klavdiya Romakayeva - Trend:
UNDP (United Nations Development Program) is applying new renewable-energy solutions in water management of Turkmenistan’s regions in order to avoid GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions and for greater water availability, UNDP told Trend.
According to UNDP, the project “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy for Sustainable Water Management in Turkmenistan” jointly implemented with the State Committee for Water Management of Turkmenistan aims at providing for sufficient and environmentally sustainable water supply to support and enhance social conditions and economic livelihood of the population of Turkmenistan, reduce GHG emissions associated with water management, prevent and remediate salinization of lands.
Through technology transfer, investment, and policy reform, this project seeks to promote an integrated approach to water management that is energy and water efficient, reduces root causes of land degradation, and enhances local livelihoods and public service delivery.
“Application of new renewable-energy solutions in water management will lead not only to avoided GHG emissions but also to greater water availability in remotely populated areas. This integrated approach will be practically applied and technically proven first at specific sites in the Akhal region, then possibly replicated across the country through region-specific planning and outreach, as well as supporting policies and investment at the national level,” UNDP said.
UNDP specified the objectives of the project:
Component 1: To introduce new technologies in irrigated agriculture and pumping for energy efficiency, water conservation, and sustainable land management (SLM).
The first project component is designed to achieve three targeted outcomes:
- Enhancement of the national knowledge base and delivery of new technical information on appropriate technology for irrigation, pumps, and solar-powered water pumping and purification to water management agency staff and farmers;
- New processes established and implemented for planning, deployment, and financial assessment both before and after deployment of integrated water resource management, pump audits and maintenance, and solar-powered water pumping and purification;
- Direct energy savings, water savings, and reduction of land degradation from the selected projects.
Component 2: To scale up investment in new and expanded efficient water-management infrastructure.
The second project component focuses on scaling-up investment in improved water management infrastructure. It is intended to achieve two related outcomes:
- Reduction of water losses and associated energy consumption via direct investment in a large-scale infrastructure project on municipal water supply;
- Technical, environmental, and financial justification to scale-up investment in canal linings and/or other widespread infrastructure improvements to reduce water losses, associated energy consumption, and land degradation.
Component 3: To deliver local and region-specific planning and educational outreach for IWRM (integrated water resource management) and SLM among farmers and water-sector designers and managers
The project’s third component supports the nationwide implementation of IWRM and SLM via planning and training at the regional and district level in all five regions. It seeks to achieve two related outcomes:
- Technologies and investments for IWRM and SLM approved according to new Technology Action Plans in all five regions;
- Institutional/human capacity for implementing IWRM and SLM utilized and sustained among farmers and local/regional water management officials in all five regions via training on best practices as well as compilation and delivery of lessons learned.
Component 4: To develop and support the implementation of policy reform for IWRM
The project’s fourth component seeks the following outcomes:
- Regulations on pump performance and maintenance adopted and enforced;
- The operational system established for measuring end-use water consumption;
- Regulations adopted for the staged onset of tariffs for end-use of water;
- Policies and budget allocations adopted in support of expanded investment in improved irrigation and water infrastructure.
UNDP noted that the project has started in July 2015 and is planned to complete in April 2022.
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