After the USSR was dissolved, Romania has experienced water scarcity for agriculture. The World Bank and USAID are providing loans/funds for irrigation projects and to strengthen water users associations. This case thus illustrates that irrigation subsidies may be needed to support agriculture until farming efficiency improves and returns from the sale of agricultural products can cover costs.
Uzbekistan is experiencing water scarcity, an issue which will be exacerbated with increased demand. Although policies exist, the water seldom reaches the end water users. To combat this issue, action has been taken by GWP Uzbekistan to conduct trainings and workshops on the dissemination of IWRM to encourage a participatory multi-sector approach. This case study illustrates the importance of public awareness, and the need for work to be conducted at all levels.
A sustainable sanitation workshop was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on 4-5 April. The event drew parallels among different toolboxes and programmes and enabled networking among experts in the GWP Central and Eastern Europe region.
Over the last five years Pakistan has suffered three major floods. In 2010, the country experienced a super flood which devastated the country, with 2,200 people losing their lives. GWP Pakistan recently helped organise an international conference on flood forecasting.
India Water Partnership (Global Water Partnership India), in association with Brainwiz - a students’ organization located in New Delhi - is organizing a session on "Combating Deseretification and Issues of Water Security" during Brainwiz Model United Nations (MUN) Conference 2013 at TERI University, New Delhi on 5-6 October 2013.
GWP is a Collaborating Partner of the 2013 World Water Week, and will be convening and participating in many of the events happening 1-6 September in Stockholm. GWP will also launch several new publications, as well as a brand new website for the IWRM ToolBox.
In Kazakhstan, the issue is not one of scarcity but of management, a problem that can be solved through applying the principles of IWRM. The government of Kazakhstan consequently initiated a water resources management project aiming at strengthening water management organisations and by instituting the practice of IWRM. In this process, training, workshops and dialogues both within and outside the water sector are crucial.