Uzbekistan launches irrigation overhaul to combat water scarcity
Uzbekistan aims to expand water-saving technologies to half of farmland, rehabilitate irrigation networks, and boost digital monitoring by 2028
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — Uzbekistan has unveiled a four-year program to overhaul its water management and irrigation systems in an effort to confront the country’s worsening water scarcity.
According to independent outlet Daryo news, the 2025–2028 plan outlines large-scale infrastructure upgrades, efficiency measures, and digital monitoring aimed at reducing water loss and increasing agricultural productivity.
The government says the reforms will target both technical improvements and long-term conservation practices.
Over the past four years, Uzbekistan has spent 60 trillion Uzbek soums ($4.8 billion) in state funds and secured $622 million in foreign investment to repair irrigation networks and introduce water-saving systems. As a result, the share of farmland using such technology has grown from just 4% in 2020 to an expected 50% by next year.
The new program sets specific goals: reconstructing more than 2,500 kilometers of irrigation canals, upgrading pumping stations with energy-efficient equipment, and cutting annual electricity consumption in the sector from 6.8 billion kWh to 6.2 billion kWh.
Authorities also plan to reclaim 460,000 hectares of previously abandoned farmland, reduce poorly irrigated areas, and lower soil salinity and problematic groundwater levels.
Water-saving measures will be expanded across 1.4 million hectares, including the installation of drip irrigation on nearly 300,000 hectares.
Digital control and measurement systems are set to be introduced at 20 major facilities, while automated monitoring will be rolled out to thousands of observation wells and pumping stations to minimize human error.
The share of concrete-lined canals — which reduce leakage — is expected to rise from 39% to 47% by 2028, helping the country save an estimated 14 billion cubic meters of water annually by the end of the program.
Officials say the plan will also integrate satellite monitoring via Uzbekistan’s national space agency Uzspace, equip 5,200 pumps with electricity and water meters, and expand public-private partnerships in water management.
A new training center will be established to build specialist capacity in the sector, alongside public awareness campaigns to promote water conservation.
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