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OS1h Multi-stakeholders and institutions for IWRM

abstract 797

IMPLEMENTING IWRM IN EGYPT: FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY

Author(s): Eric Viala

Keyword(s):

Article:

Poster:

Session: OS1h Multi-stakeholders and institutions for IWRM

AbstractIMPLEMENTING IWRM IN EGYPT:
FROM CONCEPT

TO REALITY

Eng. Maher Khodary , Eng. Nabil Fawzi ,
Eric Viala

ABSTRACT

Managing

water resources is becoming an increasingly difficult task, from technical, economic, social, and political

perspectives. This is especially true in Egypt where multiple and growing demands are competing for a limited water

supply.

In order to deal with increasingly complex technical issues, the Ministry of Water Resources and

Irrigation (MWRI) has over the years set up various specialized units and departments able to deal with drainage,

groundwater, water quality, and irrigation improvement issues. This has facilitated the implementation of specific

projects and activities but the resulting fragmentation drastically hampers cross-sectoral coordination, timely

decision-making, and thus modern (integrated) water management.

Acknowledging this situation, the MWRI

has adopted Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) as official policy. Although IWRM has been a

common buzzword in water communities around the world for some time now, it is often a challenge for many water

managers to propose a practical translation of the concept or outline a concrete implementation process.

The

USAID-funded LIFE-IWRM Project has over the past three years provided technical assistance to the MWRI, in

order to turn the IWRM concept into practical implementation with concrete benefits for MWRI staff and water

users. This has produced, over an area of 1.2 M acres (15% of Egypt’s irrigated area), the following outputs:
-

Consolidation of MWRI local delegations through the establishment and empowerment of 27 Integrated Water

Management Districts (IWMDs);
- Effective Water User Participation via the formation and

strengthening of over 600 Branch Canal Water User Associations (BCWUAs); and
- Capacity-building

and procedures for systematic data collection and analysis to support decentralized decision making.

Concrete

benefits in terms of improved water management have been acknowledged by both Ministry officials and water

users:
• From the establishment of IWMDs:
o Pooling of resources, equipment and skills (e.g.

consolidation of irrigation & drainage functions): IWMD managers are able to carry out more activities, better serve

water users, and use equipment more intensively;
o Streamlined communication channels: MWRI General

Directors (4-5 districts), are pleased with the empowerment and responsiveness of IWMDs; and
o

Decentralized and simplified decision-making (notably for water distribution).
• From the involvement of

BCWUAs:
o IWMD staff mention improved communications with water users, fewer violations and

complaints, improved conflict resolution, and better identification and prioritization of maintenance needs;
o

Water users welcome the enhanced communication with IWMD staff, improved internal conflict resolution, and

better tackling of their needs and priorities; most importantly, water users and stakeholders value the “single window

office” that the IWMD became.
• From the water data systems:
o IWMD managers and MWRI

General directors enjoy access to routine and reliable data for analysis and decision taking;
o Water users’

awareness and participation is supported by the provision and explanation of water data.

Finally and more

importantly, detailed guidelines have been produced to provide the MWRI with the step by step processes

necessary to replicate these achievements over the entire country.

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IMPLEMENTING IWRM IN EGYPT: FROM CONCEPT TO REALITY