2003 Press Releases

USAID Provides Computer Training for BVO Amu Darya Dispatchers

April 18, 2003

From April 14-18, 2003 a group of employees from the Basin Water Management Association (BVO) "Amu Darya" attended a computer course organized by USAID's Central Asia Natural Resources Management Program (NRMP). During the five-day course, 11 BVO engineers and dispatchers from Turkmenabat, in the Lebap welayat, improved their software knowledge of MS Word and Excel and became proficient with standard email and Internet functions.

NRMP recently provided the BVO with computer equipment for storage, analysis and exchange of water resource data among departments. The equipment transfer was followed by a series of NRMP training programs. Earlier this year, BVO dispatchers also received basic training on the use of computer operating systems, word processing and spreadsheet development. The current training program was organized at the request of the BVO Amu Darya administration, following the success and effectiveness of previous training programs. "The training allowed our employees to receive knowledge of computer programs, which is significantly improving communications and increasing the output of their work," commented Yu. Khudayberganov, Head of the BVO Amu Darya.

The Amu Darya is an important source of water in the region for intensive agriculture production. BVO Amu Darya is the key water management organization responsible for delivering water to consumers, managing water releases, observing control limits and water quality, monitoring and measuring major intakes, preparing water balances, developing and implementing arrangements for flood prevention, and repair and maintenance.

The computer equipment and training will help the BVO to improve water management planning and operations, which will in turn benefit irrigators and enable them to increase crop production, reduce potential conflict and contribute to economic growth in the region. Sound water management operations will also help to mitigate growing environmental concerns.

For more information, please contact the NRMP office in Ashgabat:
34 Telliya St., Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Tel: (993-12) 39-71-69
(993-66) 30-97-06
E-mail: shokhrat@online.tm
www.nrmp.uz