On August 12, Uzbekistan adopted the Water Resources Management and Irrigation Sector Development Program for 2025-2028.
Given the water scarcity in the region, its rational use is a pressing task. In Uzbekistan, constant attention is paid to this issue: irrigation networks are being repaired, and water-saving technologies are being introduced.
During 2020-2024, 60 trillion UZS of budget funds and 622 million US dollars of foreign investment were allocated for these purposes. While in 2020 the areas where water-saving technologies were applied accounted for only 4 percent of the total irrigated land, in 2025 this figure is expected to reach 50 percent.
The program prioritizes the rational use of water resources. It envisions the reconstruction of 2,551 kilometers of irrigation networks. Replacing outdated equipment at pumping stations with more energy-efficient models will reduce their annual electricity consumption from 6.8 to 6.2 billion kilowatt-hours.
Measures are planned to reduce the area with low water supply from 424,000 to 276,000 hectares, as well as to improve land with high salinity levels and shallow groundwater. As a result, 460,000 hectares of land will be returned to agricultural use.
Water-saving technologies will be introduced on 1.4 million hectares, including drip irrigation on 293,000 hectares.
The task was set to equip 5,200 pumps with electricity and water meters and to transition large pumps to renewable energy sources.
As a result of the program, the share of canals with concrete lining will increase from the current 39 percent to 47 percent, the quality of irrigation networks will improve, and water losses will decrease. It is expected that, through savings, 10 billion cubic meters of water will be conserved this year, and up to 14 billion cubic meters by 2028.
