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ADB’s Water for All Policy
Making a Difference?
ADB Water Policy as Guide for Investments
A clear water policy could reduce the problems of fragmented water sector reforms and investments, says ADB Lead Water Resources Specialist Wouter Lincklaen Arriens. But any policy is only as good as its implementation. Five years into policy implementation, has it contributed to the sector? A review will assess results.
TopHow Effective is the Implementation of ADB’s Water Policy?
With 2015 just around the corner and the targets for the water and sanitation Millennium Development Goals still a pipe dream, ADB looks to its water policy to harness resources and catalyze investments to meet the water targets. What have ADB, its clients and partners done to implement the policy? Have their actions resulted in good progress? ADB embarks on a groundbreaking review process to find some answers.
Revisiting the Results of the 2003 Interim Review of the Water Policy Implementation
In 2003, ADB undertook an interim review process to see how the water policy had been integrated into its water operations. With this year’s comprehensive review underway, the 2003 findings offer a good view of policy implementation in its first few years. And more importantly, they flag questions on the extent of progress in the areas found lacking in 2003’s review.
Policy Element: Promoting Water Sector Reforms What Makes Reform Happen?
Water sector reforms gather momentum in some countries but less so in others. Why? And have the reforms actually motivated governments to invest more in water? ADB studied 17 countries across Asia and the Pacific to understand the politics and progress of water sector reforms.
ADB holds 2nd Regional Meeting of National Water Sector Apex Bodies
Representatives of national water sector apex bodies will meet for the second time on 27-29 April to jumpstart their peer review and benchmarking efforts and chart the progress of their regional cooperation agenda. The Bangkok meeting will take off from the agreements of the 1st meeting in May 2004.
NARBO To Share Knowledge on Water Management with South Asian Partners
The Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO) will conduct its 2nd training on integrated water resources management (IWRM) on 25-29 April. The training, to be held in Colombo, will enable practitioners and policy makers from South Asia to integrate IWRM concepts into their planning processes.
Maldives: ADB approves US$20 M Grant for Rehabilitation of Tsunami-affected Maldives
ADB will fast track rehabilitation and reconstruction work in Maldives with a US$20 M grant and US$1.8 M loan. Among the sectors to be rehabilitated and reconstructed are water supply, sanitation, solid waste management, fisheries and agriculture. The work will use cost-effective design standards to restore facilities to pre-tsunami levels, or higher.
India: ADB approves new loan for improving irrigation in Chhattisgarh, India
Low agricultural productivity accounts for the widespread rural poverty in Chhattisgarh. ADB’s new US$46.1 M loan, the first for India’s rural sector, aims to remedy the situation by improving irrigation services and agricultural practices. The project will upgrade irrigation schemes, build the capacity of the Water Resources Department and empower water user associations.
People’s Republic of China (PRC): ADB approves first ever loan operation tackling restoration of wetlands
Wetlands conservation takes a big step forward with ADB’s innovative US$15 M loan for the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project in the PRC. With additional US$27.4 M funding from the PRC national and provincial governments, the project focuses on watershed and nature reserve management, livelihood development, education and capacity building.
Pakistan: Project plans to improve livelihoods and resource management in Sindh coastal communities
A new US$650,000 technical assistance grant (TA) will enable ADB and the Pakistan Government to work together to stop the downward spiral of coastal and marine resource degradation, livelihood loss and worsening poverty in Sindh. The seven month-long TA will start in May 2005.
Viet Nam: TA to prepare project to improve water supply and sanitation in Central region
ADB approved a new US$950,000 technical assistance grant to prepare a project on improving water supply and sanitation in the southern Central region of Viet Nam. The planned project will include new, improved or community-based water supply systems. Its sanitation component will cover drainage, sewage disposal and solid waste management.
Cambodia: 2005-2009 ADB strategy focuses on broad-based growth and good governance
ADB’s new Country Strategy and Program (CSP) to help reduce poverty in Cambodia emphasizes broad-based inclusive growth, governance and institution building. It also supports efforts in Tonle Sap and the Greater Mekong Subregion. Loans for rural water supply and sanitation are also included in the pipeline for the next two years.
Philippines: Water Management Information Dissemination and Extension for Irrigated Agriculture
Rice is the biggest consumer of irrigation water. But water-saving technologies could help farmers grow rice using 30-40% less water without significant effect on yield. Read how an ADB pilot and demonstration activity (PDA) enabled Asian farmers to take advantage of such technologies.
Thailand: Disputes beneath the surface of Bang Pakong
The Bang Pakong river basin is home heavy industry, large communities, tourist operators, farmers and diversified wildlife. As can be expected, longstanding disputes over how the waters should be used abound. An ADB PDA gives key stakeholders a chance to have meaningful dialogue, but would this be enough to solve their water conflicts?
Viet Nam: Poverty Reduction Gets a Boost in Bac Ninh
This year’s spring rice season has stimulated an unusual level of activity in many of the poorest communes of Bac Ninh Province. Almost five thousand farming households increased their incomes. Read how improved technology and community participation helped make this happen.
ADB Review: Rebuilding Lives After the Tsunami (April 2005)
The issue focuses on the development community’s response to the needs of the tsunami affected countries-from relief to rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Impact of Water on the Poor (January 2004)
What are the social and economic impacts of water availability on the poor? What policies, institutional arrangement, and supply alternatives will improve the situation? This book looks at six ADB projects for answers to these questions.
Reports
- PRC: Henan Wastewater Management and Water Supply Project (March 2005)
- Thailand: Samuk Prakarn Wastewater Management Project -- Fifth Semiannual Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Board Inspection Committee (February 2005)
- PRC/Policy Reform Support: Major Issues and Recommendations of PPP in the Water Sector in China (January 2005)
- Bangladesh: Preparing the Secondary Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project (JSF) (January 2005)
Water Voices Documentary Series
This series focuses on people finding local solutions to the worsening water crisis in Asia and the Pacific. It recognizes the power of good examples and lessons learned to inspire ’home grown’ solutions to water problems. Order your free copies now.
| April 1 | Rural
Water Supply and Sanitation Conference (Paris, France) This conference aims to increase aid commitment, coordination and efficiency to attain the MDG for water supply and sanitation in rural Africa. |
| April 6 | Water
Resources and the MDG (Okinawa, Japan) The meeting will focus on the contribution of water resources management to development and the achievement of the MDGs. It will also discuss the MDGs in potable water and sanitation and the challenge of financing local governments and small scale providers. |
| April 11-13 | Water
Resources Management 2005 (Algarve, Portugal) The workshop will focus on recent technological and scientific developments associated with the management of surface and sub-surface water resources. |
| April 11-22 | 13th
Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) (New
York, USA) This is the first "policy session" under the CSD’s new work cycle aiming to further implement Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation. The focus will be on water, sanitation and human settlements. |
| April 12-13 | Asian
Aquafeeds 2005 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) The conference will advance knowledge on all aspects of fisheries and related activities, with particular reference to Malaysia and the neighboring region. |
| April 17-19 | ADB National Media Workshop - Pakistan (Islamabad, Pakistan) The workshop will increase the understanding of journalists in Pakistan towards water issues affecting the country. |
| April 20-22 | Ports
2005: Fourth International Conference on Maritime Engineering, Ports and Waterways(Barcelona, Spain) Ports 2005 will examine the rapidly changing management, operation, design and building of maritime engineering works and ports. |
| April 22-23 | Hydropolitics
and Geopolitics:Impact of Water on Communities’ Food Security, Transnational Relationships,
and Development (New York, USA) The symposium will determine major challenges posed by increasing scarcity of water resources and recommend possible solutions and practices for water management. |
| April 25-29 | Training
Workshop in River Basin Management and Organizations for Mid-career Water Professionals
from South Asia (Colombo, Sri Lanka) The training will enable participants to understand the concepts and principles of river basin management and evaluate the priorities and phases in establishing effective river basin organizations. |
| April 27-29 | 2nd
Regional Meeting of National Water Sector Apex Bodies (Bangkok,
Thailand) The workshop will enable participants to formulate indicators for benchmarking the performance of apex bodies, and define the process of peer review among apex bodies. |
| April 28-29 | Environment
Summit 2005 (Auckland, New Zealand) The summit discussion will range from the economic value of national water bodies to policies on water management. |
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