Financing: USAID

Role of Municipal Development Institute Ltd: independent contractor for ECODIT LLC

Implementation timeframe: October 2018 - July 2019

MDI is providing assistance to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan (MEWR) and Ministry's Working Group on Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency in developing and carrying out the national information campaign to promote energy efficiency in the Republic of Tajikistan. The assignment is fulfilled within the implementation of the USAID Asia Energy Links Project.

MDI Tasks

1. Supporting establishment of a Sub-Working Group on Public Information Outreach on Energy Usage (Public Outreach Group) within the exising Working Group on RES and EE at MEWR for the comprehensive coordination and implementation of the Campaign. The members of the Public Outreach Group will be: representatives of the MEWR Working Group on RES and EE; key decision-makers; representatives of the national and municipal agencies responsible for EE and energy saving; international financial institutions and technical assistance projects working in the energy sector; manufacturers of EE equipment and materials; managers of industrial enterprises and private companies, business centers; managers of energy companies - main power producers and small hydroelectric power plants and other producers of electric energy; local NGOs; public opinion leaders; advertising agencies and media.
2. Organizing trainings for the Public Outreach Group and  POG members and other stakeholders. The training will serve as a starting point for developing of the National Communication Plan for the National Information Outreach and Public Awareness Campaign.
3. Conducting a formative survey, interviews with stakeholders and POG members and study from the latest results on the available surveys on attitudes and behavior of the population towards energy efficiency and social reforms. In order to better ground the Information Campaign, MDI will organize Focus Groups with target groups to identify the most effective communication channels within each group and to find the most effective way to incentivize them towards EE. The target groups of the survey are: personnel of utility companies; personnel of large industrial and commercial energy users; opinion leaders; residents of individual houses and multi-apartment buildings. 
4. Developing a Communication Plan for the National Information and Public Outreach Campaign to Promote Energy Saving and Energy Efficiency. The purpose of the Communication Plan is to support the Ministry in developing and implementing public education and information activities to sustain energy sector reforms and promote EE and energy conservation. 
5. Providing assistance to POG to implement the Communication Plan. The assistance will include organization of two trainings: training for energy companies, industrial enterprises, munuicipal authorities - personnel responsible for public and media relations and information work; and training for journalists on the general issues about energy saving and energy efficiency and development of information and outreach materials and identify the most effective information dissemination channels. 
6. Developing outreach materials. MDI will develop web-resources, brochures, bill inserts, public services annoucements and placements.

Results and Achievements

• Focus Group Questionnaire developed.
• Concept of the Communication Plan for the National Information and Public Outreach Campaign developed.