Shymkent, Kazakhstan – On March 27–28, the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) conducted two national training sessions on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) for Kazakhstan's water management organizations in Shymkent. The training was held as part of the project "Climate-responsive and gender-sensitive basin management".
The Project is part of the Regional Program "Climate-Sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia", implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Approximately 41 mid- and senior-level specialists took part in the training sessions, representing eight basin inspections for the regulation, use, and protection of water resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan: the Aral-Syrdarya, Balkhash-Alakol, Yertis, Yesil, Ural-Caspian, Nura-Sarysu, Tobol-Torgai, and Shu-Talas basin inspections. Representatives of the Water Resources Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of the Republic of Kazakhstan also participated.
The training sessions are part of broader efforts to strengthen the capacity of basin organizations in Central Asian countries.
The objective of the training was to provide participants with knowledge and skills in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), taking into account the impacts of climate change. The training focused on basin planning, institutional and legal aspects of IWRM, automation of irrigation systems, as well as improving the efficiency of water distribution and water use, including water-saving technologies. A separate session was dedicated to an inclusive approach in basin planning aimed at ensuring effective water resources management that considers the interests of all stakeholders.
"The training was held at a high level," emphasized Ramazan Kulibekov, Chief Specialist of the Yesil Basin Inspection for the Regulation of Use and Protection of Water Resources. "Such meetings should be held more often: they allow us to learn a lot of new things and exchange experience with colleagues from different basin inspections across Kazakhstan, and they also contribute to strengthening professional ties. This seminar left a strong impression on me and provided an opportunity to discuss pressing issues related to the protection and rational use of water resources. Moreover, concrete proposals were developed to address many of the problems raised."
"We would like to express our special gratitude for the training, which touched on extremely relevant topics — especially in the context of climate change, which is so important for our basin inspections," noted Karina Aymukhambetova, Chief Specialist of the Tobol-Torgai Basin Inspection for the Regulation of Use and Protection of Water Resources. "The event took place in a lively and engaging atmosphere. The speaker made a strong impression: he answered all questions competently and always had something valuable to say. I especially remember the quiz — it not only added an element of interactivity but also helped us learn a lot of new things. In addition, the SWOT analysis we worked on together turned out to be very productive, and we are already planning to apply the knowledge gained in our future work. We express our deep appreciation to the organizers for this event and for the opportunity to participate. We sincerely hope that such meetings will be held more often and last longer!"
The training sessions concluded with a discussion and the awarding of certificates to participants.
Project brief info:
From 2024 to 2026, CAREC will implement the project “Climate-responsive and gender-sensitive basin management” (hereinafter referred to as the Project). The Project is part of the Regional Program "Climate Sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia," implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The project's goal is to strengthen regional cooperation among countries in the region by providing informational and theoretical support to stakeholders in the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). As part of the project, 24 gender-sensitive trainings will be conducted at national, transboundary, and regional levels.
Contact person – Irina Yugay, Project Manager (Water Initiatives Support Program), wisspecialist@carececo.org