University of Central Asia: training for trainers on the Nexus approach
Khorog, Tajikistan – Last week, USAID Central Asia’s Regional Water and Vulnerable Environment Activity (WAVE) organized the WEFE Nexus simulation game at the University of Central Asia (UCA), where teachers and students from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences assumed the roles of policymakers in two countries, positioned upstream and downstream on the same river.
The game provides an opportunity for participants to practice how various water management policies can contribute to the sustainable use of water in harmony with nature. Participants worked to address the water needs of the population, industry, and agriculture while simultaneously finding solutions to the challenges posed by climate change.
Dina Kaskina, a lecturer at UCA, said she appreciated the opportunity to gain insight into the challenges of water management for energy and food production while also supporting the environment.
The game also presents a chance to practice conflict resolution and cooperation at the international level. Marhabo Yodalieva, the Capacity Development, and Education Lead of the with USAID WAVE, said students can develop their negotiation skills while finding compromises in challenging situations.
Brief reference
The Nexus Simulation was developed by the Centre for Systems Solutions in collaboration with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and the «Sustainable Energy for All» Initiative. The history of its implementation in the Central Asian region began in 2018 within the framework of the European Union (EU) project «Nexus Dialogue in Central Asia» implemented by the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC). The game represents a facilitated process of playing 5 different scenarios for developing the territories upstream and downstream while addressing water needs of population, industry and agriculture and taking into account climate change challenges. Currently, the Nexus Game is actively promoted by CAREC in universities, academies, basin organizations and media in Central Asia with funding from the EU and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Additional information: Ludmila Kiktenko, Environmental Management Program Manager, CAREC, lkiktenko@carececo.org
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