A project to create artificial glaciers is being implemented in the Batken region in southern Kyrgyzstan with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO recently organized an informational event to assess the results of the artificial glacier technology implementation in the region, according to FAO Kyrgyzstan. Representatives
A signing ceremony held at the Ministry of Water Resources on February 27 marked the official launch of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) new landmark project “Strengthening Water Resources Governance and Resilience to Climate Change in the Aral Sea Region”. UNDP and Japan partner for this transformative initiative in Uzbekistan with financial support from the
In preparation for the coming spring flood season, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation is pre-emptively releasing water from key reservoirs across the country’s northern, central, western, and eastern regions to prepare for the influx of meltwater expected during the spring thaw. At the same time, reservoirs in the southern, arid regions which heavily
Four artificial glaciers (Ice Stupas) have been created in the Sarchashma mahalla of Shakhrisabz district in the Kashkadarya region. This technology makes it possible to utilize available water resources during the cold season, store the water in the form of ice and gradually melt it in spring and summer for irrigation and household use, according
On February 3, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a government meeting on the effective use of water resources and the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture. Currently, the area of irrigated land in Uzbekistan where water-saving technologies are applied has reached 2.6 million hectares, accounting for 60 percent of the total irrigated area. For comparison, before
Kazakhstan is making progress with the restoration of the North Aral Sea, an ambitious project initiated in response to the catastrophic shrinkage of the Aral Sea. During the next 4-5 years, the water volume in the North Aral is to be increased to 34 cubic kilometers and its area expanded to 3,913 square kilometers, Minister
Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has signed a memorandum of cooperation with a consortium of Chinese companies Yellow River Engineering Consulting Co. Ltd., Leture Technology and Cheng Cheng Group for the construction of a plant to produce smart technologies for water resource management and irrigation systems in the southern Kazakh city of Taraz.
On December 15, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was briefed on the ongoing work in the water management sector to increase energy efficiency, develop research potential, and strengthen international cooperation. Plans to replace outdated and energy-intensive pumping units with modern, energy-efficient ones, were reviewed. For instance, in Karakalpakstan, there are 274 pumping stations that irrigate over 185
The European Union and Tajikistan on December 10 marked the successful completion of two newly constructed pipelines in the city of Istiklol (formerly Taboshar), an important milestone under the EU’s long-standing commitment to improving environmental safety and addressing uranium legacy sites in Central Asia, the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan reported. The opening ceremony,
At a meeting in Ashgabat in mid-November, the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan approved water distribution quotas for the 2025-2026 non-growing season (from October 1, 2025 to April 1, 2026) for the Syr Darya and Amu Darya river basins. The Amu Darya and Syr Darya are the two
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov last week met with Dana Kadyrbek, a student at Almaty Gymnasium No. 79 who created a device for collecting water from the atmosphere using modern nanomaterials. The device effectively absorbs and condenses moisture from the air and works without connection to the electrical grid, according to
The 3rd Meeting of the Basin Dialogues in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya River Basins began in Tashkent on December 2 within the framework of the regional program “Climate-sensitive Water Resources Management in Central Asia,” the Delegation of the European Union to Uzbekistan reported. The purpose of the meeting was to strengthen partnerships, establish
A major new environmental initiative has been launched in response to increasing pressure on Central Asia’s water and land resources, the growing impacts of climate change, land degradation, and more frequent droughts. The Central Asian Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) Program, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the National Committee of
On November 22, a meeting of water and energy ministers of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan was held in Almaty. The ministers agreed on further water and energy cooperation. Given the low water level in the reservoir of Kyrgyzstan’s Toktogul hydropower plant (HPP), the meeting participants decided to support each other with mutual electricity supplies and
The Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment of the Republic of Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation for Flood Forecasting and Prevention through the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology. The document was signed during Korea International Water Week in Daegu, South Korea.
The Kazakh Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan, and the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) have signed a financial agreement on the project “Developing a Business Ecosystem for Sustainable Irrigation in Kazakhstan.” The Bank is providing a $3.5 million grant to launch an initiative aimed at modernizing and strengthening the irrigation
Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov and Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan Shavkat Khamrayev have signed an intergovernmental agreement on the joint management and rational use of transboundary rivers and canals. The agreement, signed on November 15 in Tashkent, establishes mechanisms for cooperation on transboundary rivers and canals that provide
In early November, Bishkek hosted a political dialogue titled “Women in Water and Energy,” bringing together female leaders and experts from five Central Asian countries. The event marked a continuation of the Green Central Asia program, which aims to strengthen regional cooperation on climate, environmental protection, and security. In a region facing mounting ecological challenges,
On October 13, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed measures aimed at digitalizing the water sector and improving the system of water resources’ management. The President ordered to accelerate the digitalization processes in the industry, fully automate accounting and reporting, improve the efficiency of local services, and expand the practice of public-private partnerships. Today, the country has
The 2025 irrigation season has ended in Kazakhstan. According to the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the agricultural sector used 11.01 billion m³ of water, with 98% of the total volume consumed in the country’s arid southern regions. During the irrigation season, the Almaty region used 1.6 billion m³ of water to irrigate 136,000
