Water Institutional Reforms in Tajikistan - The Politics of Water Institutional Reform in Neopatrimonial States - page 156

have associations of water users” 274 (senior official, MinVodKhoz , Dushanbe, 10/10/2003). The
close interrelatedness of both sectors and the need for proper coordination between land and
water reform is widely acknowledged by all experts. “In Tajikistan, land reform without water
is not possible (...). That is why we are conducting a land water reform.” 275 (Vice Minister of
the MinVodKhoz , Dushanbe, 10/09/2003) 276 . The affirmation of the close interrelation of both
issues by policy actors could lead to the assumption that it is reflected in the reform processes.
Especially on the local level, however, the cooperation between the State Land Commit
tee and MinVodKhoz does not seem to proceed very smoothly. The Presidential Decree No.
522 contains instructions concerning the ownership of the water infrastructure that previously
was in possession of a state or collective farm: With its dissolution, its infrastructure can be
transferred to the respective state agencies (§ 7 of annex 2). Hence the irrigation system could
be assigned to the MinVodKhoz . The regulation is non compulsory, however, and without any
clear guidelines. As no financial means are allotted for these additional systems, the RaiVodK
hozes are not interested in having the deteriorated irrigation facilities in its area of responsibility.
In most places, they therefore remained the responsibility of the collective DF. 277 In places
with primarily individual DFs, the secondary channels are perceived as no one's responsibility.
In many cases, the consequence is that farmers at the upper end of a channel use as much
water as they want. They sometimes regard the part of the channel crossing their territory as
their property, giving them the right to full usage. 278 Real coordination would have needed to
be initiated at the beginning of the land reform with the redistribution of plots along hydro
graphic principles. Now, however, some dekhkan farms own fields on different channels, a fact
that makes the establishment of WUAs along hydrolographic boundaries difficult, in that one
DF would then have to be member in different WUAs. As the new farms are still oriented
along the FSKs, WUAs are also located along those boundaries. This reinforces the dominance
of the former FSK power holders. Hence, the government (GoT 2002: 25) also stated: “The
creation of water user associations has not kept up with the land reform process causing prob
lems.” Despite this insight, there was no increased action on part of the government in subse
quent years (see previous chapter).
Yet it is not only the insufficiency in coordination that presents an obstacle to water insti
tutional reform. Rather, it is also the agricultural sector as such. In chapter 5.5.3, the insuffi
cient implementation of land reform was described persisting informal production prescrip
tions a complicated, nontransparent, and expensive system of land registration; the transfer of
FSK debts to DFs; the indebtedness of cotton farmers to local investors; the absence of legal
assistance to farmers; and the frequently unfair access to land. This leads to the prevalence of
old farm structures, lack of a free choice of crop, and a debt crisis. These factors not only
impede land reform and prevent farmers from using the full economic potential of their land,
but they also influence water reform.
First, ISFs are often paid in kind, but even more often not paid at all. Poverty is a main
reason for non payment. A considerable part of the rural population cannot earn a living from
agriculture and depends on money transfers from migrant workers or on food aid from inter
274 „ : ,
.“
275 „ (...) -
. ”
276 Similar statements were made by two other senior official at the MinVodKhoz , Dushanbe, 08/20/2004; an NGO
representative, Khudjand, 09/03/2003; and a professor at an academic institute, Dushanbe, 09/07/2004 .
277 Author's interview with a senior official of the State Land Committee, Dushanbe, 11/01/2005.
278 Author's interview with a professor of an academic institute, Dushanbe, 09/07/2004.