Gender and Development

Uzbekistan

Loan 2245/2246 - UZB: Land Improvement Project, 2006

Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for rural communities where 60% of the Uzbek population reside. Agricultural development is therefore critical to achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth. The Government has prioritized improving agricultural productivity, specifically to increase export revenues and to achieve food security. However, rapidly worsening land degradation caused by poor water management, deteriorating irrigation and drainage infrastructure and environmental policies that curtail investments in land improvement schemes threatens the performance of the agricultural sector and thereby rural livelihoods.

Objectives and Scope

ADB’s Uzbekistan Land Improvement Project was approved on 24 July 2006 for $76.18 million. It was designed to improve the rural living standards and increase farm incomes while mitigating the adverse impacts of the deteriorating soil and water conditions on rural communities in Bukhara, Kashkadarya and Navoi regions. The Project has 4 main components:

1. Land and Agricultural Improvement to promote improved land reclamation practices and on-farm management technologies.



2. Capacity Building of Land and Water Management Institutions through introduction of integrated land and water resources management and enhanced service provision.



3. Rehabilitation of Land Management Infrastructure by rehabilitation of on-farm irrigation and drainage infrastructure for improved management and equitable delivery of irrigation water; and rehabilitation of main drainage collectors and drainage structures for improved control, efficiency and timely delivery.



4. Project Management through the establishment of project management offices and project monitoring and evaluation unit, surveys and consulting services.

Framework for Gender and Development Activities

Although official statistics estimate women’s labor force participation at 31% in Uzbekistan (as compared to 60% for men), their contributions are far greater if unpaid household work and contributions to family plots were counted. In 2005, officially unemployed women was estimated to be 61.5% and women’s wages were 70% of men’s wages. A social survey conducted during the loan design phase confirmed women’s declining economic status as a result of the

• increasing proportion of unemployed women
• concentration of employed women in low-income sectors: agriculture, health, education
• negative impacts on rural women caused by the shift from collective farms to joint-stock companies that resulted in labor retrenchment
• consolidation of farm management as a male occupation after the liquidation of collective farms in favor of private farms
• women’s limited claims for private farms
• rural women’s limited access to potable water, land, natural gas and basic health services

• establishing quotas for women’s representation within model farms’ and Water User Associations’ (WUA) decision-making processes and structures
• integrating women’s needs and constraints in the design and operation of project-related infrastructure
• establishing quotas for rural women’s participation in training activities
• ensuring women’s effective involvement in the monitoring and evaluation of project impact

Gender-Inclusive Design

To promote the equal participation of men and women as agents and beneficiaries of the Project, a Gender Action Plan (GAP) was developed during the loan design phase that covenanted specific gender-related features and activities under each Project component:

1. Land and Agricultural Improvement:
   • ensure 30% of model farms’ membership is made up of rural women farmers
   • ensure 30% women’s representation and participation within the model farms’ decision-making processes and structures regarding agricultural development and land improvement
   • ensure at least 30% of rural women farmers receive training on improved land preparation, enhanced agronomic practices, diversified cropping systems/rotations, and modern farm management methods
   
   
   
2. Capacity Building of Land and Water Management Institutions:
   • ensure 30% women’s representation as members, technical staff and board members within private and dehkan farm associations (PDFA) and WUAs
   • hold biannual training workshops on critical gender issues affecting land water resource management such as
   • gender and technical training on areas such as farm business management and marketing; farm accounting, taxation, banking and financial management; and land and water resources management including water saving, metering, conservation and sanitation and hygiene
   • gender and legal training and publications on areas such as administrative and organizational structures, legal and regulatory aspects and conflict resolution for land and water resource management


3. Rehabilitation of Land Management Infrastructure: include 30% women’s involvement to ensure the integration of their needs in the irrigation and drainage system design, legal/administrative and organizational arrangements and operations (i.e. quantity, timeliness, timing, equity and quality of water)



4. Project Management:
   • ensure collection of gender-disaggregated baseline information
   • recruit a gender and development (GAD) specialist from the National Women’s Committee for the Project Management Office (PMO)
   • identify gender focal point for adequate monitoring and evaluation of gender indicators/targets at the project implementing units (PIUs)
   • ensure gender balanced composition of the PMO and PIUs
   • conduct biannual capacity development training and consultation with executing agencies, PMO and PIUs on the implementation of the GAP
   • ensure the collection of gender disaggregated information at the end of project

Guidance on Gender and Development Activities

A more detailed GAP implementation and monitoring plan will be developed and monitored during loan implementation with the recruitment of a GAD specialist for the PMO and GAD focal points in the three PIUs in Bukhara, Kashkadariya and Navoi regions. Women’s Committee and the Association of Women’s NGOs will be involved in the implementation of the gender design features as well as monitoring of gender based targets and indicators. ADB Uzbekistan Gender Specialist will provide continuous support to the project GAD specialist in the implementation of the covenanted activities of the GAP and monitoring of GAP indicators and targets included in the project performance monitoring system.