(IRTCES News, May 12, 2006): The China Watershed Management Project (CWMP) Water and Soil Conservation Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop, co-sponsored by the World Bank; Department for International Development (DFID), UK; and Ministry of Water Resources, China was held on May 12, 2006, in Beijing. Over 50 participants attended the Workshop, the participants were from the Ministry of Water resources; Ministry of Finance; National Commission of Development and Reform; Ministry of Agriculture; State Forestry Administration; Department of Development of the All-China Women’s Federation; Office of West Development; Office of Poverty Relief; World Bank Beijing Office; Department for International Development of the United Kingdom; Asian Development Bank; Yellow River Water Resources Commission; Yangtze River Water Resources Commission; and the Consultants of ITAD.

Mr. Zhu Jiang, the Vice Director General of the International Economic and Technical Exchange Centre, Ministry of Water Resources, China, presided over the Workshop. Mrs. Wang Huanzhu, Director of the Project Implementation Office presented the progress of the project. Dr. Johanna Pennarz, ITAD, Team Leader, presented the framework of the CWMP monitoring and evaluation system, Prof. Liu Xiaoying, IRTCES, presented a report on the survey of soil and water conservation, Prof. Liu Yonggong, China Agricultural University, presented a report on monitoring and evaluation on the impact of poverty and livelihood, Prof. Song Haokun presented a report on a participatory approach, and Prof. Deng Weijie presented a report on biodiversity. The experts for the Workshop provided good suggestions and comments for the final report of the CWMP.

The DFID-funded China Watershed Management Project is a project reviewing methods developed in World Bank Loess Plateau Rehabilitation Project and developing a new method for implementation of future project (hereinafter as LP) between China and donor organization with focus on poverty relief and watershed management.

With site investigations at different times on the PL area in Gansu Province and justification by officials from the Ministry of Water resources, China, World Bank and the DFID, UK, the four counties of Kongdong, Jingling, Huachi and Huanxian were identified as the project demonstration zone for the CWMP.

The implementation period is from July 1, 2003 to July 31, 2008. The account closing date is November 30, 2008. The total amount of the grant is £4.948 million. Of which, £200,000 is for supervision service for the project contracted out by the DFID, UK, £427,000 is for project management by the World Bank, £709,000 for the World Bank-executed part while the remaining of £3.612 million is for the recipient-executed part covering consulting services, goods, works, training, study and research, as well as operation expenses.

The main purpose of CWMP project is to help the World Bank and the international donor organizations learn the impact on poverty relief of the watershed rehabilitation project and to explore the best practice models for watershed management. Specifically, project targets include reviewing the contribution to poverty relief by the LP; identifying solutions of the shortcomings of the project ; studying the best practical models for watershed management; improving the capabilities of the existing project management officers for the WB Project, GO and NGO.