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Institutions on the Go
How institutional strengthening produces better performance
Tjoek Walujo Subijanto: Blending Corporate Spirit with Public Service
“We’ve increased cropping intensity, hydropower capacity, and raw water supply for the river basin, plus improved the condition of water resources infrastructures,” says Pak Tjoek Subijanto, President Director of the Brantas Public Corporation, on the results of his organization’s efforts. How has this experiment on corporatization yielded positive results for Indonesia’s Brantas and Bengawan Solo river basins?
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Institutional strengthening calls for changes. Inspired leadership, good governance, and a sound plan can make these changes happen. |
Can rural water institutions in the country transform successfully into more robust entities able to meet the water needs of its rural populace? |
Investments in people and processes fueled the radical transformation of a utility on its last legs into one of Asia’s best and brightest. How did they do it? |
With one partnership already bearing fruit and another poised to show results, twinning arrangements seem to be winning in Viet Nam. Can they sustain the gains? |
Asia Water Day Highlights Leadership’s Role in Securing Future
“What Asia needs is not just more financing. It needs better management,” ADB’s Xianbin Yao said at the Asia Day opening in this month’s Stockholm World Water Week. Experts also discussed innovative approaches to secure Asia's water future amid rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change.
ADB, IWA, USAID to Collaborate on WaterLinks
ADB has partnered with the International Water Association and United States Agency for International Development to establish a regional partnerships network dubbed “WaterLinks.” This network will develop and implement programs to support the Water Operators Partnership Program, including twinnings, capacity development, and more.
Water Financing Partnership Facility Reports Promising Uptake
ADB’s Water Financing Partnership Facility secured contributions totaling $26 million for 2007-2008 from the Governments of Australia, Austria, Norway, and The Netherlands. This Fund will deliver reforms and capacity development in rural communities, cities, and river basins.
New Study on Beneficial Use of Sludge Takes Off
ADB will shortly test the results of a bench-scale study on extracting protein from sludge, which revealed that protein extraction will reduce the water content of sludge from 80% to 45%, reducing the quantity of sludge going to landfills or incineration plants.
Asian Water Utilities Twin for Better Performance
Eight pairs of Asian water utilities entered into twinning arrangements under ADB’s Water Operators Partnership Program. In these partnerships, “expert” utilities will help “recipient” utilities improve service coverage and delivery, financial sustainability, and other performance aspects.
India: Urban Improvements to Reach Bihar State
Bihar, India’s third most populous state, suffers from underdeveloped public sector works. A US$1M grant will help prepare the groundwork for an urban development project focusing on key urban services, such as water supply, sewerage, and solid waste management systems.
Mongolia: Grant to Improve Resource Management in Onon River
A US$2M grant will bring better management practices to the Onon River Basin that directly involves stakeholder communities. ADB’s Christopher Edmonds said, “This project will encourage residents to organize themselves and develop more profitable and sustainable livelihoods.”
Mongolia: Improvements to Water Resources for Nomadic Herding Families on Tap
ADB’s Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction is extending a US$2M grant to help establish 60 water points in 10 districts in Mongolia’s Ovorhangay province over a 3-year period. The grant aims to reduce poverty among herding families and provide groundwork to develop the livestock sector.
People’s Republic of China: Lessons from Efforts to Revive Lakes and Wetlands Validated
A Harbin City workshop discussed results of an ADB study on lakes and wetlands restoration that included the Tai and West Lakes, and Sanjiang Plains. Successful projects were characterized by strong leadership, integrated planning and analysis, and effective financial engineering.
Philippines: ADB to Help Preserve Threatened Watersheds
Watersheds in northern Philippines are threatened by slash-and-burn farming and other harmful land-use practices. An ADB US$850,000 grant will support the preparation of a natural resources and environmental management program that would protect the country’s watersheds while preserving upland communities’ livelihood opportunities.
Philippines: Water Regulation Conference Yields Important Results
A conference among Philippine water sector stakeholders produced a regulatory reform agenda to improve water service providers’ performance. Participants agreed on short- and long-term measures, including establishing an independent national water regulatory body.
Viet Nam: Grant to Help Improve Water Management, Irrigation
A US$1M project will ease pressure off Viet Nam’s water resources. ADB’s Dennis Ellingson said, “It will help Viet Nam increase the number of qualified water engineers, help the country better manage its irrigation systems, boost agricultural production, and increase farmers’ income.”
Sri Lanka: Changing Lives [ Trailer | Full ]
Watch how community-driven rural water supply projects yielded big returns—from access to safe water to better health and livelihood.
Watch how a community-managed water supply and sanitation scheme transformed Punjab and its people.
| 23 Sep | 3rd International Trade Fair for Water, Sewage, Refuse, Recycling and Natural Energy Sources (IFAT CHINA 2008) (Shanghai, People’s Republic of China) |
| 1-2 Oct | 3rd Water Stewardship Initiative Forum (Melbourne, Australia) |
| 7-10 Oct | NARBO 2nd Thematic Workshop on Water-Related Disaster Management in Asian Countries (Laguna Lake Basin, Philippines) |
| 9-10 Oct | Industrial Waste Management 2008 (Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China) |
| 14 Oct | WaterTech Asia 2008 (Shanghai, People’s Republic of China) |
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