VZCZCXRO5176
RR RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0306/01 0691414
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 101414Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0132
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0039
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 0209

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000306 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID EAGR SENV PHUM TI
SUBJECT: WATER USERS ASSOCIATIONS FARMERS PRACTICE GRASS ROOTS 
DEMOCRACY 
 
DUSHANBE 00000306  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Assistance Coordinator for Europe Dan Rosenblum 
visited USAID-supported Water Users' Associations (WUAs) during 
a recent visit to Tajikistan. The WUAs are already known as 
assistance success stories in Central Asia. They have organized 
farmers to cooperate in meeting their irrigation and drinking 
water needs; they have contributed to community development and 
helped demonstrate democracy in action.  Farmers in the 
associations have seen their income increase and they have 
gained the experience and confidence to tackle additional 
community problems and to work with government. Women, too, are 
playing their role. The associations' success is now generating 
broader interest among Tajiks in forming such associations. 
Traditional democracy promotion is difficult in Central Asia, 
which makes programs such as this with its powerful collateral 
impact especially important. Success takes time, so sustained 
support will be needed to continue to spread and grow the WUA 
program.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2. (U) During a recent visit to Tajikistan, Assistance 
Coordinator for Europe Dan Rosenblum visited representatives 
from ten water users associations formed along the length of the 
Rohati canal.  The visit demonstrated why the water users 
associations are a real success story in Central Asia. The five 
associations from the more remote, downstream areas of the canal 
were more experienced with association operations.  When they 
originally formed, the canal in their area was so deteriorated 
that they received little or no water most of the year. When 
advisors came and spoke to them about organizing to make canal 
repairs and try to restore water supplies, the response was 
enthusiastic and a village meeting drew high participation. With 
the support of advisors, the groups were organized in a highly 
participatory and transparent process that engendered confidence 
and encouraged participation. The use of a secret ballot to 
elect association officers was the key tactic that they credit 
with ensuring that the right people were put in charge. 
 
 
 
¶3. (U) Representatives described the many results of the work of 
the association.  Villagers have now taken ownership of the 
canal and irrigation system organizing themselves to do routine 
maintenance, cleaning, and repairs. With increased awareness and 
ownership, the water was kept cleaner and safer for drinking 
purposes as well. They had an officially registered group 
through which to address the government and as such were able to 
get some official response. They were able to collect fees and 
self-finance some operations, because with published budgets and 
priorities set in group meeting, contributors knew what they 
were getting for their money. Perhaps most importantly, the 
increased availability of water improved harvests and on average 
they said households of association members had doubled their 
income. 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) With farmers now organized, the associations did not 
limit their activity only to irrigation and water issues.  They 
were engaging in joint procurement of seeds and fertilizer and 
taking on other projects. The associations average about 15-20% 
female membership and have active women's committees. These 
committees organized income generating activities like sewing 
shops, taught courses on food preservation, and organized 
village education and entertainment programs. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) Budget constraints early in the program prevented 
outreach to the farmers on the foremost part of the canal who 
were closer to the intake. Also, because these farmers generally 
had better water supplies, they had less incentive to take on 
the responsibilities of water users associations. The benefits 
experienced by their less well placed neighbors nonetheless made 
an impression. Some organized and asked for advice in forming 
their own associations.  This was enthusiastically agreed to by 
the existing associations, which can expect further benefits if 
the neighbors also contribute to managing the canal. The older 
associations have agreed to mentor the newer ones and offer 
their experience with formal registration and other matters. All 
have agreed to form a federation to increase cooperation among 
the associations along the canal. Together, the 10 associations 
will serve more than 3,400 hectares of irrigated land along the 
53 kilometer canal, and although the actual association members 
number just over 600, about 50,000 people are estimated to 
benefit from their activity. 
 
 
 
¶6. (U) Comment: At a meeting Rosenblum attended, representatives 
of all ten associations were together for the first time, but 
 
DUSHANBE 00000306  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
among members from both old and new associations, there was a 
palpable sense of empowerment--that they could work together to 
solve some of the problems facing them. The agricultural 
benefits in improvement to food security and income were clear, 
but so was the support for basic democratic concepts of 
transparency, inclusion, consensus and responsibility, and self 
reliance. It has proven difficult to get clear results with 
traditional democracy programs in Central Asia, but the water 
users association model has shown how local grass roots 
organizations directly focused on people's daily practical 
problems can introduce basic concepts of democracy in clear and 
useful ways. 
 
 
 
¶7. These programs are no by no means an overnight success, and 
the active associations today are the result of five to eight 
years of patient support through programs adjusted over time to 
take into account lessons learn. They are now clearly bearing 
fruit as interest grows in forming such associations in more and 
more areas throughout Tajikistan and elsewhere in Central Asia. 
The way associations work is a big change from traditional and 
Soviet practice and continued advice and guidance will continue 
to be needed to help the movement spread until a stronger base 
of local knowledge is available to support new associations. End 
Comment. 
JACOBSON