PROJECT INFORMATION DOCUMENT (PID) APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: AB1425 FERGHANA VALLEY WATER RESOURCES Project Name MANAGEMENT PROJECT Public Disclosure Authorized Region EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA Sector Irrigation and drainage (80%);General water, sanitation and flood protection sector (20%) Project ID P084035 Borrower(s) REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN Implementing Agency Ministry of Melioration and Water Resources Management Attn.: Mr. Ahad Ahrorov Coordinator of the Project Preparation Unit 5/1 Shamci Street Dushanbe, Tajikistan 734054 Tel: 992-372-36-62-08 Fax: 992-372-36-62-08
[email protected] Public Disclosure Authorized Environment Category [ ] A [X] B [ ] C [ ] FI [ ] TBD (to be determined) Date PID Prepared February 25, 2005 Date of Appraisal March 10, 2005 Authorization Date of Board Approval May 31, 2005 1. Country and Sector Background Tajikistan has an area of some 141,000 Km2 of which some two thirds form the foothills and high mountains of Turkistan, Zarafshan, and the Pamirs. Several regional ethnicities are represented in its 6.3 million (m) population. Independence and turmoil followed by a bloody Public Disclosure Authorized civil war left it among the poorest countries in the world, but the economy is now growing. Real annual GDP growth has ranged from 8% to 10% over the past few years. As of 2004, annual per capita income was estimated to be around US$300, but some 57% of the population remains below the poverty line. Regional and system characteristics: The Ferghana Valley is an important region of Central Asia with a total population of about 11 million people, of whom 70% live in rural areas, spread among Uzbekistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan.