Kyrgyzstan Restores Irrigation System Amid Growing Water Demand

In the dry and hot year of 2025, Kyrgyz farmers received one billion cubic meters more water than in 2024, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry. Despite the challenging weather conditions, 7 billion cubic meters of water were delivered during the growing season, enabling the irrigation of over 1.1 million hectares of agricultural land. Chronic water shortages during the irrigation season have long plagued Kyrgyzstan's agriculture, frequently sparking disputes in rural areas. The primary cause is the aging irrigation infrastructure, much of it dating back to the Soviet era. Many canals are clogged or damaged, leading to significant water losses. In 2025, the ministry reported that 429.5 kilometers of canals were repaired and cleaned, alongside the restoration of 302 hydraulic structures, 123 water gauges, 91 pumping stations, and 156 pumping units. Nine units were fully replaced, and 53.5 kilometers of collector and drainage systems were cleaned. To modernize the network, the government plans to construct 106 daily and ten-day water regulation basins by 2030. These facilities are intended to improve water storage and distribution across farms. Ten basins have already been commissioned this year, with 12 more under construction. Officials are also combining modern and traditional solutions to address irrigation challenges. Sprinkler systems, popular in the 1980s, are being revived due to their efficiency, they require 500 to 1,000 cubic meters of water per hectare, compared to two to three times more with the traditional ary system. However, most farmers continue to rely on the ary method due to the high cost of sprinkler and drip irrigation equipment. According to the ministry, drip and sprinkler systems are now in use on 8,365 hectares: 1,702 hectares on state-owned land and 6,663 hectares on private farms. Restoration of old wells and construction of new canals also continue. This year, work began on a plant to manufacture concrete linings for irrigation canals, with a target of producing 500,000 square meters of concrete canal linings in 2025.

Flash Floods Severely Damage Irrigation Infrastructure and Crops in Tajikistan

Heavy rains and ensuing flash floods have inflicted significant damage on agriculture and infrastructure near the city of Penjikent in northwestern Tajikistan. The rural community of Kosatarosh was particularly hard-hit, with key irrigation canals damaged and dozens of hectares of farmland inundated. Key Canals and Farmland Affected According to the emergency response headquarters under the Penjikent city administration, flooding and mudslides disrupted the flow of two major irrigation canals, Khalifa Hassan and Farmetan. Around 20 meters of the bank of the Khalifa Hassan Canal was washed away, with sediment and debris accumulating in the channel. The Farmetan Canal was partially blocked, endangering the water supply for local farms. The disruption poses a serious threat to agricultural output, as the Khalifa Hassan Canal supplies water to over 3,500 hectares of cropland and orchards. Local authorities estimate that at least 80 hectares of rice, potatoes, corn, and other crops, cultivated by both collective farms and private households, were affected. On the morning of June 16, Penjikent Mayor Abduholik Kholikzoda visited the affected area and held an emergency meeting with representatives of the Committee for Emergency Situations and other relevant agencies. Authorities agreed to initiate a rapid damage assessment and commence restoration work. The State Administration for Land Reclamation and Irrigation of the Zarafshon River Basin has been tasked with clearing debris from the canals and repairing damaged sections. Specialists from the Zarafshon joint venture have already deployed equipment and begun initial repair operations. Authorities Had Issued Warnings The Tajikistan Hydrometeorological Agency had issued a warning on June 12-13 about the heightened risk of mudslides in mountainous and foothill regions, including areas in Sughd region, such as Ayni, Penjikent, and Iskanderkul, as well as regions under direct republican jurisdiction and parts of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. “Precipitation expected in mountainous and foothill areas could lead to mudslides,” the agency warned. The Emergency Committee advised residents to avoid rivers and reservoirs, suspend fishing and hunting, and temporarily cease grazing livestock in vulnerable mountainous areas. Volatile Summer Weather Increases Risk Forecasters predict that June 2025 will be unusually hot across Tajikistan, with temperatures expected to exceed seasonal averages by more than two degrees. The southern and lowland regions are expected to experience particularly high temperatures. Despite the heat, meteorologists warn of possible short-term rainfall, thunderstorms, dust storms, and squalls. Authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant, particularly in flood-prone mountainous areas, where weather volatility continues to pose a risk. The situation in Penjikent underscores the increasing vulnerability of such regions to climate-induced disasters.