Experience in the region over the past 15 years suggests that IWRM can provide the foundation for increasing water security. The successes were due in part to a good understanding among water professionals of the need to make better use of the available scarce water resources. Generating driving forces was important to provide triggers for change and to help promote further development and progress. Political support was also vital as officials became aware of the visible benefits of IWRM reforms. The outcomes of this were reduced water wastage, increased productivity, and a water management sector that experienced a more democratic involvement of stakeholders with less influence from government officials and professionals.

The paper draws many lessons from this experience about introducing IWRM at many different levels of management – from interstate, to national and district level. These lessons addressed:

• disseminating information to a wide range of audiences over large areas (approximately
  
• 1 million hectares)
  
• the importance of measuring and monitoring the impact of interventions
  
• managing supply and demand
  
• the importance of good governance.
  

The paper finally addresses the issue of transboundary water management. One example cited is the conflicting interests of releasing water for commercial hydropower generation in one country at times when it does not coincide with the water needs of downstream irrigation in another one, and so it flows to waste. The need for interstate cooperation in order to negotiate the trade-offs is clearly vital if scarce water resources are to be used to best effect.

A key challenge for water managers in Central Asia is to form a critical mass of driving forces at different levels. The number of IWRM adopters is growing, but the involvement of stakeholders at all levels and increasing the number of IWRM adopters will be crucial for success. This can be done, but it will need incentives, motivation, and stimulus to ensure that IWRM reaches the stage when the process will be self-sustaining without strong external support and promotion.

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