JICA Tajikistan; Toward the sustainability of water resources for SDGs

International Conference on "Water for Sustainable Development" held in Tajikistan

Nurek Lake, the second largest dam in the world

Excluding mountainous areas, dried lands occupy the vast territory in Central Asian countries. Semi-arid climate in Central Asia creates tough condition for farming and living if there is no proper water resource management.

Government of Tajikistan is constructing the dam which will have the highest embankment in the world. Looking at Pamir mountains, there is Fedchenko Glacier that is the longest glacier outside the polar region in the world. On the other side, people concern the fact that the Glacier is shrinking due to global warming in recent years. In ancient time a huge-scale earthquake collapsed a mountain hillside, resulting in creating Sarez Lake. Scientists estimates that catastrophic flood disaster will attack the settlements and populations in the downstream when the natural embankment of Sarez Lake is washed away to downstream side by tsunami if an earthquakes in future falls a mountain hillside onto the Lake. Tajikistan faces the above mentioned various water issues which cannot be solved solely by one country. Promoting dialogue with neighboring countries and collaboration among stakeholders are indispensable for addressing the issues.

The world is taking a plunge into the water crisis. With the surging global population, it is said that by 2030 pure water resources will meet only 40% of the demand on the earth. With the recognition of the increasing water issues, the United Nations Resolution "Decade of Water International Action - Water for Sustainable Development" was adopted in December 2016. The Decade of Water International Action has officially begun since World Water Day (March 22) in 2018 at UN Headquarters, where President of Tajikistan made a speech at the opening Ceremony. The UN resolution states that developing sustainable water resources, integrating water resource management, achieving Sustainable Development Goals (hereafter referred as "SDG") water related goals and strengthening partnerships with concerned organizations will be implemented for the next decade from 2018.

In June 2018, Tajikistan, with its dedication and high awareness of water issues supported by the President's strong initiative, hosted the United Nations high-level international conference on International Decade for Action "Water for Sustainable Development" in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan. . The UN and the Government of Tajikistan hosted the conference, where were more than 1,000 representatives from 172 countries and international NGOs participated.

Raising awareness of global water problems and promoting achievement of SDGs

Approximately 780 million people around the world are without access to safe water and around 2.5 billion of them lack access to toilets. Every year, approximately 1.5million children under the age of five die of diarrhea because of unsafe drinking water and unsanitary conditions. Frequent water-related disasters caused by climate change are causing major damage all over the world. Life threatening problems on water and sanitation require urgent reaction for improvements.

SDGs goal 6 logo mark

The SDGs' Goal 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all" help us to recognize the importance of water from the view point of improving life standard, addressing inequality, and tackling with climate change. Guided by SDGs, in order to respond various crises caused by global water problems, "Water Action Decade" aims at enhancing the awareness of water issues in the international community and attracting collaboration for sustainable development and management of water resources and for promoting the water-related programs.

Video materials successfully singled out JICA from other booths

Participants to stop by and visit the JICA booth

During the two-day International Conference in Dushanbe, JICA Tajikistan Office introduced JICA's various activities all over the world and JICA's international cooperation policy for SDGs in collaboration with the Technical Cooperation Project's Experts. With the recommendation from JICA Global Environmental Department Water Resources Group, the informative video materials were repeatedly shown on the screen sheet at JICA's booth during the Conference. Video images successfully conveyed JICA's messages and introduced its activities with full of presence. Thanks to that, JICA's booth attracted over 200 visitors, which was more than any other display booths at the Conference.. As video appeals dynamic and vivid images, it attracts visitors' attention and convey strong impression for them. Some visitors inquired about the JICA's cooperation policy and future direction for water supply and/or irrigation, while others asked for the video materials for better understanding of JICA's activities.

Introducing JICA as a top donor to the world

Taking advantage of this opportunity of an international conference gathering high-level officias on water issues from the world, JICA put a place for dialogue and improving understanding of JICA's activities through displays at the booth, and provided clues for enriching nderstanding of global water issues. The two video materials proved their effectiveness in disseminating the JICA's messages as a top donor and the issues of developing countries in the field of water and sanitation. While each of UN agencies, government and private sectors launches various initiatives for SDGs, such video materials can be one of the most effective tools for helping development workers and policy makers to understand various approaches for SDGs.

Yumiko Yamashita Project Formulation Advisor
Keiichi Sato Assistant Resident Representative
JICA Tajikistan Office

*The Material(s) mainly applied

JICA's Cooperation on water and sanitation

"JICA's cooperation on water and sanitation" explains and publicizes JICA's work on water and sanitation issues at international conferences and domestic events. It is aimed at any group, in Japan or elsewhere, with an interest in these matters. This material explains JICA's approach to water and sanitation issues, using various projects as examples. We hope this material will be used in many different situations, and raise awareness of JICA's work as a major development partner in water and sanitation causes.

• YouTube (external link)

Comprehensive Measures for Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Reduction - Aiming to Diminish Wastage of Water

This multimedia-based leaning material introduces the comprehensive approach for water service improvement, as reduction of NRW, suppression of new water development, reduction of environmental load caused by over extraction in using water supply as much as possible, improvement of service level against increasing water demand and chronic poor water service in developing countries. Specifically, this multimedia-based leaning material introduces measures for water distribution management, water meter management, water leakage management and water theft or illegal water supply management.

*This material is limited viewing to people who are engaged in JICA's projects. For more information, please contact us through JICA-Net Library Desk (eitpl-jicanet@jica.go.jp).