Building Climate Resilience in the Pyanj River Basin Project

Cover Page for Project/Program Approval Request
Cover Page for Project/Program Approval Request
1. Country/Region: Tajikistan 2. CIF Project ID#: XPCRTJ040A
3. Source of Funding:  FIP  PPCR  SREP
4. Project/Program Title: Building Climate Resilience in the Pyanj River Basin Project
5. Type of CIF Investment:  Public  Private  Mixed
6. Funding Request in Grant: 21.55 Non-Grant: N/A
million USD equivalent:
7. Implementing MDB(s): Asian Development Bank
8. National Implementing Ministry of Land Reclamation and Water Resources,
Agency: State Unitary Enterprise for Housing and Communal Services
(Kochagi Manzillu Kommunali - KMK), and Ministry of Finance
9. MDB Focal Point and Headquarters- Focal Point: TTL:
Project/Program Task Charles Rodgers Cinzia Losenno
Team Leader (TTL): crodgers@adb.org closenno@adb.org
10. Project/Program Description (including objectives and expected outcomes):
The project aims to increase resilience to climate vulnerability and change of communities in the
Pyanj River Basin and reduce poverty incidence in the Project area. The project will increase
access to water of communities by upgrading and climate proofing small scale community
infrastructure for flood protection, irrigation and drinking water supply, and strengthen the ability
of individuals, especially women, to respond to climate change by building capacity of community
groups and providing access to affordable loans for agribusiness and economic diversification.
The project’s impact will be improved livelihoods of Pyanj River Basin communities vulnerable to
climate variability and change. The project’s outcome will be adverse effects of climate variability
and climate change reduced in 59 villages in 19 Jamoats in the Pyanj River Basin. Further
details are given in the Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors,
and the Summary Project/Program Approval Request.
11. Consistency with Investment Criteria1:
Tajikistan is considered to be one of the countries in Central Asia most vulnerable to the adverse
effects of climate change. It frequently experiences extreme climate events such as intense
spring rainfall, excessive melt-waters from large snow accumulations, droughts and occasionally
devastating glacial lake outburst floods. These cause mudflows, floods, reduced water
availability, avalanches, landslides, and rock falls. These hazards routinely take lives and destroy
or degrade land, crops and infrastructure.
When joining PPCR, the government of Tajikistan indicated water resources management as a
priority sector for support, due to the high vulnerability of the sector and the high reliance on the
sector for livelihoods. Consultations and analytical studies carried out during the first phase of
the PPCR in Tajikistan confirmed integrated water resource management as a priority sector,
1 Please provide the information in the cover page or indicate page numbers in the accompanying project/program
document where such information can be found.

and identified the Pyanj river basin as one of the most vulnerable areas in the country. Despite
these documented priorities, there are no relevant ongoing or planned ADB operations or
government supported investments aimed at addressing integrated water resource management
in the Pyanj river basin, except for the Khatlon Province Flood Management Project, due to close
in June 2014, which focused on the rehabilitation of flood protection embankment. The project
highlighted the significance and the urgent need for additional investments in climate resilient
infrastructure and enhanced awareness of climate change to safeguard the lives and well being
of the communities in the river basin. Moreover, consultations with over 1500 stakeholders, and
evidence gathered from 2009 to 2011 and documented in the report of the technical assistance