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ADB funding flood risk
management system Tajikistan
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - The
Asian Development Bank (ADB) is funding a flood risk management
system for one of the most flood-affected regions of Tajikistan, the
Khatlon province situated southwest of the country.
“Tajikistan is prone to frequent natural disasters because of its
terrain and climate. Floods are particularly severe disaster risks
because of the mountainous nature of the country,” said Tetsuro
Miyazato, senior natural resources management specialist of ADB’s
Central and West Asia Department.
The Khatlon Province Flood Risk Management Project will address
recurring flood risks in four districts in the province through a
comprehensive and coordinated approach. A major part of the project
is the rehabilitation of 8.3 kilometers of flood protection
embankment along Pyanj River, which borders Tajikistan and
neighboring Afghanistan. Assuming that a medium level of maintenance
is achieved, the proposed embankment can protect against floods at
the probability of once in 100 years.
The project will also develop and disseminate a flood risk map,
strengthen flood warning systems, draw up a flood preparedness and
evacuation plan, and strengthen flood forecasting capacity by
rehabilitating the country’s hydrometeorological network. The
project will also help the government define and implement policy
reforms needed to improve flood preparedness and remove some of its
persistent operation and maintenance funding constraints for flood
levees and riverbank protection works.
The assistance will also strengthen the capacity of Tajikistan’s
Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources and the local
government bodies to manage flood disaster risks.
ADB will provide a $22 million loan to support the project, which
has a total estimated cost of $28.5 million. The balance will be
covered by the Government of Tajikistan.
The project area has some of the most productive agricultural lands
in Tajikistan. Cotton, the key agricultural export commodity of the
country, is grown in 53% of the farm land in the project area, which
in turn accounts for 32% of the country’s total cotton area.
But the project area is vulnerable to floods as the Khatlon province
contains most of the low-lying flat land in Tajikistan. The
population density of the province is high and predominantly rural.
The population of the project area itself is 583,700, only 20% of
whom were employed in 2005, mainly in the agricultural sector.
“The area is under constant threat of flooding by the Pyanj River,
as flood protection facilities have degraded over the years because
of continued under-funding of operation and maintenance expenditure.
In addition, floods from the upper mountains are worsening,” said
Mr. Miyazato.
The government has given the highest priority to the immediate
improvement of flood protection facilities in Khatlon province. By
putting in place modern flood protection, the government expects to
substantially reduce funding requirements
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