Over the last two
decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has
worked closely with the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) improving
water management to benefit the economy of Egypt. The current initiative
of the USAID Environment Office and the Government of Egypt is known as the
LIFE program, an acronym for Livelihood and Income from the Environment.
The LIFE-Integrated Water Resources
Management Project works with the
MWRI to provide technical assistance, training, commodities, and small
grants to support decentralization of water management. The aim is to
increase water use efficiency and productivity. This is achieved by working
with the MWRI to expand decentralization efforts through the establishment
of Integrated Water Management Districts (IWMDs),
and formation of Branch Canal Water Users’ Associations (BCWUAs). Project activities that focus on developing
local capacity to better manage solid and liquid waste, as well as to
encourage appropriate wastewater reuse in agriculture also support this
aim.
Integrated
Water Resources Management
Turning
a Concept into Reality
The IWRM Project supports integration at
the district level in a variety of ways.
•Administration: MWRI Irrigation District offices are consolidated
to bring all water management responsibilities together in a single office
called an Integrated Water Management District (IWMD).
• Water
Resources: All water sources
are monitored and accounted for as part of the district water budget and
allocation program; surface, groundwater, drainage, and treated wastewater.
•User
Participation: Functioning
Branch Canal Water User Associations (BCWUAs) are
established to contribute as partners in decision making.
• Stakeholder
Participation: Linkages
between these BCWUAs, the IWMD office, local
councils, other government/non-government agencies, and the private sector
are encouraged.
• Information
Systems: Data are gathered on
water availability, allocation and quality, as well as on user needs and
priorities to guide decision-making.
Cross-Cutting Activities
Environmental
education, public awareness, and communication support all project
elements. These activities are critical given the evident need to involve a
broad spectrum of stakeholders in a participatory process to ensure
acceptance and sustainability.
Gender
considerations, a major focus of the USAID-Egypt strategy and the GOE’s vision, are also a cross-cutting theme. The
project provides gender training to initiate actions that contribute to
women’s active participation at all levels and enhance their capacities to
generate income.
To provide
baseline measures, guide implementation, and define results, monitoring and
evaluation activities are a vital cross-cutting component of the project.
Project
Duration
October 2004 to September 2008
Project Activities
LIFE-IWRM Project activities
are organized in three areas and consist of seven major tasks.
1. Decentralized Management of Water Resources
·Formation
of Integrated Water Management Districts
·Formation
of BranchCanal Water User Associations
·Equitable
Allocation of Water Resources
2.
Stakeholder Engagement in Water Resources Management
·Improved Maintenance and Upgrading
of Water Management Equipment
·Environmental Services for Improving
Water Quality Management
·Improved Wastewater Reuse Practices
3. CapacityBuilding for MWRI Staff
·Graduate
Degree Training for MWRI
staff
Results
Formation of IWMDs with the capability and
authority to coordinate all irrigation and water management activities will
result in improved efficiency. Formation of BCWUAs
linked with these IWMDs and other local partners
will lead to greater civic responsibility for maintaining water ways;
improving the quality of water resources through better local management of
liquid and solid waste. By participating in water management
decision-making and governance, rural inhabitants will realize economic
benefits.
Beneficiaries
It is anticipated that approximately 9 million farmers and other water users
will benefit from the project. The plan is to establish 27 IWMDs linked with approximately 1,000 BCWUAs covering
1.2 million feddans of agricultural land.
Geographical
Locations
During this period, the Integrated
Water Resources Management Project activities will focus on four Irrigation
Directorates; Zifta and West Sharkiya in the
Delta, and Qena and Aswan
in Upper Egypt.
Partners
The MWRI is the lead
GOE partner for this initiative with collaboration from the Ministries of
Environment, Education, Housing, and Health. Local councils, the private
sector, and non-governmental organizations are also involved in the program
areas. International Resources Group (IRG), as prime contractor, and the
Integrated Water Management Unit (IWMU), the MWRI counterpart, lead and
coordinate the project.
IWMU Integrated Water Management Unit
Tel: (20-2) 3544-9459, 9473, 9475
Fax: (20-2) 3544-9530
