The project development objectives of the NWRMP are to improve water resources management capability and irrigation service delivery for the benefit of water users.

lt implies support to the authorities to move from the still·existing fragmented sectoral approach towards integrated water resource management. The revised roadmap adopted by the National Water Council in May 2019 provides the adequate framework for this to happen.    

• National Water Council as a supreme decision making structure as per the Water Code;
• The newly established water agency on the basis of the current Department of Water Resources and Land lmprovement (DWRLI);
• Basin level branches of the new water agency (Basin Administrations);
• Irrigation management branches of the new water agency;
• Water User Associations.
• The Environment protection agency in charge of waste water permitting system;
• Hydrogeology enterprise under the committee of industry and sub-soil resources.

National and basin institutions for WRM functioning and financed in line with the Water Code

The project will assist in strengthening capacities of a newly established water agency at the national level and basin administration at basin levels that will be in charge of implementing the five finalized basin plans.

Irrigation service delivery improved

The project will finance technical assistance, goods and incremental costs (excluding salaries) to improve financing of Management, Operation and Maintenance of both main canal/off-farm systems, managed by the Government, and on-farm systems managed by WUAs.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

• Establishment of water agency and basin administrations;
• Permitting system is in place and functioning;
• Completion of an lntegrated Water Information System and transformation into a water information center;
• Finalization of basin water plans and preparation of national water strategy;
• System based tariffs introduced and farmers are supplied with water.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:   The project built capacities on management of both water resources and irrigation supply. In particular, (i) integrated water information system with 5 online databases; (ii) basin boundaries defined and 5 basin councils and plans developed. (iii) 448 Water User Associations out of 486 have improved their service provisions, as measured by the percentage of water users feedbacks in satisfaction surveys. To ensure sustainability of these results, structural reform has not process in particular establishment of an independent water body at national and basin levels, introduction and strenghtening of water permitiing system to generate resources for the sector. These milestones are the core elements of the water code and of code implementation roadmap.

The project focuses on capacity building and institutional development while other initiatives of the World Bank and of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program focus on hardware improvement. This combination of soft- and hardware support for a common development goal has proved effective. EU is preparing a budget support in the field of water for a total arnount of EUR 21 million for three years. WB, EU and Switzerland have built an alliance and coordinate their efforts in policy dialogue and strategic orientation.

Also, the project will coordinate with (i) SC funded Blue Peace and Chu-Talas water accountability project on establishing basin approach and the water information system and (ii) SECO funded urban water supply portfolio.