Integrating learning into water resources management and planning in transition countries : Case study of the Kyrgyz Republic

The Kyrgyz Republic faces dramatic challenges in the allocation of water and managing water resources. The challenges are caused by various factors including carried-over traditions and practices of water resources management and socio-economic changes since the collapse of the Soviet planned system, and fragile physical and political environment in the Central Asia. Above these all, the Kyrgyz Republic is facing considerable issues with sustaining and developing knowledge and capacity that would complement rather than resist transition. The government of the Kyrgyz Republic has undertaken substantial efforts in structural reformations since 90's, first, to address societal threats and expectations and, second, overcome water governance uncertainties. Policy making based on Integrated Water Resources Management has become one of such efforts to improve water resources management in the country. However, regardless of the persisting issues in water resource management, emerging risks of regional conflicts over water resources and heavy foreign aid the water allocation decision making has been only stagnating. This research analyzed the developments in water resources management regime with the aim to identify possible changes in water allocation narrative in the country. It was assumed that changes in water allocation practices and decision making could inform integrated water resources management regime. Water allocation practices have stagnating nature mainly because of clogging knowledge and learning capacity of actors who both influence and are influenced by institutions and contextual environment. The "Management and Transition Framework"; was explored to analyze the extent of alignment between formal policy process and informal learning cycles in IWRM in the Kyrgyz Republic. Data, collected during the field work through semi-structured interviews, were fed into the causal and attributive structure of the MTF that distinguishes various institutions, actors, their interplay, knowledge and participation. Data were also processed in relation to actor network, using emergent social network analysis tools. The analysis was conducted for a case study in order to examine and understand policy and learning processes interaction, and actor network relationship. Overall, the analysis showed that policy making and learning processes should be dynamic and vertically disperse in spatial dimensions - supra basin, national, and local - to conclude in shift either adaptive or transformative. Policy making and learning processes are highly dependable on the deliberate participation of relevant and interested actors who have to possess new skills and be free of arbitrary norms and principles. Management paradigms like Integrated Water Resources Management is a good policy fit for those regimes which have clear visionary goals and learning interface - know what to do. In the countries with transitioning economy and political discourse, such as the Kyrgyz Republic, the IWRM paradigm requires substantial and ii significant reflection in some of the principles, for example, knowledge and learning capacity. Integrating learning, thus, is a critical element in such countries