Policymakers in countries that are transitioning away from authoritarian regimes can face challenges in obtaining unbiased information about local conditions—as do researchers and international community representatives working in these countries, including those trying to understand policy change. This information problem is a critical challenge for water security.

As key policy issues related to water resources, climate change, and agricultural supply chains become increasingly globalized, many countries face limited access to local information. Yet, how much, if at all, does such constrained information about local conditions affect the understanding of policies and policy change?

Using the Kaleidoscope Model, we studied feedback data from three distinct communications sources on a water-saving technology (WST) subsidy program in Uzbekistan, a policy that aims to address water scarcity in the context of information asymmetry. The Kaleidscope Model is a framework to understand what conditions are needed to make policy change happen, from agenda setting to evaluation and reform. We found that in evaluating the success (or failure) of the WST subsidy program in Uzbekistan, the source from which feedback is received matters.