The Asia-Pacific Water Forum (APWF) launched its network of regional water knowledge hubs in 2008 to improve water security in the Asia-Pacific region by generating and sharing knowledge in more than a dozen water knowledge domains. Called KnowledgeHubs, the network has 13 confirmed regional hubs to date, among them Indonesia’s Center for River Basin Organizations and Management (CRBOM). CRBOM is a newly created alliance of agencies belongs to the Government of Indonesia, composed of the Ministry of Public Works’ Directorate General of Water Resources (DGWR), the Ministry’s Research and Development Agency, and two corporate-type river basin organizations - Jasa Tirta Ⅰ and Ⅱ Public Corporations in collaboration with NARBO Secretariat partners - Japan Water Agency (JWA), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and ADB Institute. The entities of the Government of Indonesia within CRBOM have decades of experience establishing and operating public utility-type and corporate-type river basin organizations; planning and developing water resource use and conservation; managing technical, financial, and management issues associated with river basin organizations and management; operating and maintaining water resource infrastructure; managing watersheds and river environments; and conducting research and development in hydrology, hydraulic structures and geotechnical engineering, river engineering, and sediment management. CRBOM aims to provide local, regional, and national-level government agencies; river basin organizations; water service providers; and others with the most reliable, effective, and practical information; analysis; advice; and capacity-development services in the field of river basin organizations and management. More specifically, the regional water knowledge hub will:

• Assist clients in establishing river basin organizations and river basin management systems that integrate up-to-date quality management systems;
• Conduct applied research and development on river environments, hydrology, hydraulic structures and geotechnical engineering, river engineering, sediment management (sabo technology), coastal areas and swamps, and irrigation;
• Prepare norms, standards, procedures, guidelines, and manuals for optimal river basin organization and management;
• Instruct water sector personnel in the use of ISO 9001 standards for the design, operation, and maintenance of water resources and infrastructure;
• Educate clients in dam safety and the use of remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) in water resources management;
• Advise clients on the provision of permits for the preparation, allocation, use, and exploitation of water resources in river basins;
• Act as an information clearinghouse by conducting seminars and workshops, publishing a journal on river basin organizations and management, and facilitating the face-to-face and electronic exchange of river basin-related information; and
• Provide consulting services to river basin organizations in the areas of technology, policies, and management.

CRBOM’s knowledge partners will include local, national, regional, and international research institutions; water knowledge institutions; and networks dedicated to contributing information and sharing best practices and lessons learned to develop knowledge and capacity in river basin organizations and management.

CRBOM and Asian Development Bank, in collaboration with Network of Asian River Basin Organizations (NARBO) and APWF’s KnowledgeHubs network were jointly organizing the regional launching workshop of Indonesia’s CRBOM on 27 April - 1 May 2009 in Lor In Hotel, Solo City, Central Java, Indonesia. The event launched CRBOM as the regional water knowledge hub for river basin organization and management under the Asia-Pacific Water Forum’s (APWF’s ) KnowledgeHubs initiative, and allowed prospective clients of the hub to share their challenges and expectations for the knowledge and capacity development services to be offered by CRBOM. The event was attended by 170 partcipants from 95 organizations from 20 countries.

• 1) to launch CRBOM as a member of the APWF’s KnowledgeHubs network;
• 2) Present findings and lessons learned from the Process Development for Preparing and Implementing IWRM Plans in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Viet Nam;
• 3) Formulate a work plan, modalities for country assessments, performance benchmarking of river basins organizations, and the preparation of action-oriented river basin development roadmaps for investment.

This launching of CRBOM as a member of the APWF’s KnowledgeHubs network was conducted together with

• 1) A completion workshop for ADB’s project RETA 6351 on "Process Development for Preparing and Implementing IWRM Plans," which will present findings and lessons learned from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Viet Nam;
• 2) An inception workshop for ADB’s project RETA 6470 on “Managing Water in Asia’s River Basins: Charting Progress and Facilitating Investment,"which will support NARBO’s activities related to implementing integrated water resources management.

CRBOM was launched officially by Mr. Iwan Nusyirwan, Director General of Water Resources on behalf on Minister of Public Works, Government of Indonesia on 28 April 2009. On this occasion, it was inagurated the members of CRBOM team consists of

• 1) Mr Isnugroho ― Executive Director,
• 2) Mr Hermono Suroto Budinetro ― Deputy Director of Information and Technology,
• 3) Mr Rahardjanto ― Deputy Director of Programme and Evaluation,
• 4) Mr Fahmi Hidayat ― Deputy Director of Training and Dissemination,
• 5) Mr Hetomo ― Deputy Director of General Affairs,
• 6) Mr Leonarda B. Ibnu Said ― Liaison Officer.

There were many expectations stated by the prospective CRBOM’s clients during the regional launch workshop. In supporting RBOs performance benchmarking, they expected CRBOM to establish consolidated database of RBOs in Asia, to conduct regular updating of RBO initiatives of each participating countries, to conduct constant upgrading and easy access of region-wide river basin database and RBO learning and experiences shared among member countries. In supporting roadmaps for IWRM Investments, they expected CRBOM to support preparation of roadmaps and conduct evaluation and monitoring of IWRM investments. The clients also expected capacity building, training, short course and educational trips for all network member countries, supporting IWRM processes including guidelines and support to implement IWRM, evaluation and lesson learned, exchange and disemination of experiences and knowledge and organize the network meetings and conferences. CRBOM will do its best to meet the expectation of all clients.