Irrigation Water - The Times Of Central Asia

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Irrigation

Tajikistan’s Irrigation Plans Require Major Upgrades

Tajikistan has the potential to become the irrigation center of Central Asia but only if it undergoes extensive modernization. This conclusion comes from a joint report by the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Industrial and Economic Potential The report highlights Tajikistan’s capacity to develop into a regional production and maintenance hub for irrigation equipment. Key advantages include affordable electricity, a readily available labor force, and a strategic geographic location. These factors position the country to play a central role in an emerging regional irrigation cluster. The southern provinces of Khatlon and Sughd are identified as particularly promising for industrial development. Proposed projects include manufacturing facilities for plastic pipes and components for drip and sprinkler systems, alongside service centers for pump repair. Investment requirements for such facilities range from $3-5 million, with a projected payback period of just 2-3 years. However, the report underscores the pressing need to overhaul the existing infrastructure. Approximately 77% of Tajikistan’s irrigation systems require reconstruction. Of the country’s 720,000 hectares of irrigated farmland, nearly 60% must be restored. Additionally, 80% of pumping stations are considered outdated, and water losses due to technical inefficiencies reach 45%. Without significant upgrades, the system will likely struggle to meet growing climatic and demographic pressures. To support the irrigation sector’s long-term viability, the report calls for the annual training of at least 3,000 specialists. Training one professional to international standards costs between $1,200 and $1,800. The authors stress the importance of state investment in vocational education and greater collaboration between educational institutions and industry. Tajikistan as a Regional Logistics Bridge Tajikistan also has the potential to serve as a strategic logistics hub. Its southern regions could facilitate transport between Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, cutting shipping costs and improving equipment access in remote areas. Realizing this vision will require a strong state role, including tax incentives, subsidies, and streamlined investment procedures. International donor participation is equally vital. Currently, nearly 90% of irrigation equipment used in the region is imported, adding up to 30% in logistics costs. While cluster-based industrial development has proven effective in other Central Asian countries, boosting enterprise productivity by 15-20% within two to three years, Tajikistan still trails behind. In contrast to Uzbekistan, which has over 90 cotton and textile clusters, much of Tajikistan’s agricultural output undergoes minimal processing. Regional Water Reform Needs $50 Billion The report concludes by emphasizing that water supply issues extend beyond Tajikistan. Across Central Asia, agriculture accounts for up to 80% of water usage. Losses from open canals reach 50%, and over 30% of irrigated land is affected by salinization. To address these challenges by 2040, the region will require $40-50 billion in investment for infrastructure upgrades, digitization, and a transition to closed irrigation systems. “Without urgent modernization of the irrigation system, the region risks facing serious water shortages, lower crop yields, and increased social instability,” the authors warn.

Syr Darya River

Strained Currents: Managing the Syr Darya’s Waters

On both banks of the Syr Darya, apartments are springing up. The embankment itself is undergoing extensive renovation. Trucks crawl along, their weight pounding the freshly lain asphalt into shape. Its acrid whiff rankles in the nose for some distance. Kyzylorda’s new Akim, Nurzhan Akhatov, appointed in August 2024, is determined to make the most of his short term in office, explains Kanat Utegenov, founder of LLP ECO GUARD, an ecological laboratory. This makes the new landscaping important. “There is a lot of construction… it is visually noticeable to the population,” he told The Times of Central Asia. “Unfortunately, the economics of it have not necessarily been calculated.” Utegenov cites a new stadium on the left bank of the river as an example of one of these potential white elephant projects. Worse still, all this landscaping is dependent on one critical factor which is only partly under the control of the Akim, and only partly under the control of Kazakhstan. That issue is water. [caption id="attachment_32630" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] The low-running Syr Darya passing through Kyzylorda, Kazakhstan; image: TCA, Joe Luc Barnes[/caption] In late April, the view that a ritzy new apartment buys you is one of sad, sandy banks. Wading birds plod methodically through the mud, looking for worms. The dirty grey river does not so much flow but keeps up a ponderous momentum, inching its way northwest. Some of this water will reach the North Aral Sea, which is being propped up on life support by the Kokaral Dam. Utegenov attributes the low water level as being partly due to climatic change. “Winter has become milder and almost snowless,” he said, adding that it’s not unusual to see a low river in spring. “This is when the rice is planted; all the water goes to the irrigation canals.” Governments across the region are doubling down on rice production, says Bulat Yessekin, an expert on environmental and water policy in Central Asia. However, he points out that growing rice is incredibly inefficient in this part of the world. “If we take into account the full irrigation cycle, five tons (5,000 liters) of water are used to cultivate just one kilo of rice,” he told TCA. However, Kazakhstan’s government is keen to trumpet successes. The use of laser leveling technology in rice fields has helped save over 200 billion liters of water by distributing it more evenly. According to Kazakh state media, this has meant that the yield from each hectare of rice crop has increased by around 60-70%. This has done little to convince Yessekin, who believes this is little more than a sticking plaster. “There was no such need for technology before as there was enough water. Now, such technology has become necessary because otherwise, they will simply not be able to grow the crop. In countries with much greater precipitation, such as Thailand or India, you can grow it, but here there are no prospects for rice. Sooner or later people need to move to other crops.” Yessekin...

Water resources

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to Share Water from Bahri Tojik Reservoir in Summer 2025

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have agreed to jointly use irrigation water from Tajikistan’s Bahri Tojik reservoir during the summer of 2025. The Bahri Tojik reservoir, formerly known as the Kairakkum reservoir until its renaming in 2016, is one of Tajikistan’s largest water bodies. Located in the Sughd region in the north of the country, it was constructed on the Syr Darya River and has been operational since 1959. During the summer growing season, Tajikistan typically releases additional water to support downstream countries, including Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which face seasonal irrigation shortages. Water ministers from the three countries signed a protocol outlining the use of the reservoir from June to August 2025. The agreement aims to ensure a balanced and equitable distribution of water resources among the signatories. For Kazakhstan, the agreement is particularly significant, as the country anticipates receiving 491 million cubic meters of water from the reservoir at the height of the growing season. Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, stressed the importance of regional cooperation on water issues. “Kazakhstan is committed to implementing joint projects on water resources management, as well as promoting the principles of international water law. Water is not only a natural resource, but also an instrument of sustainable development and regional stability,” he said.

Irrigation Water

Kyrgyz Farmers to Pay Less for Irrigation Water Following Tariff Reform

Kyrgyzstan has revised its irrigation water tariffs for agricultural land following a comprehensive review by the Water Resources Service. The analysis revealed that farmers have been significantly overpaying for water due to intermediary pricing by the Water Users Association. According to Melis Raimkulov, Deputy Director of the Water Resources Service, farmers were paying as much as 2,000 KGS ($23) per hectare, four times the actual rate of 500 KGS ($5.50). “In fact, the tariff has not changed, but now we have formalized it and calculate it based on irrigation norms,” Raimkulov explained. “According to these norms, about 1,100 cubic meters of water are needed to irrigate one hectare of land during the irrigation season.” The Water Users Association, a private entity responsible for collecting irrigation payments, had been setting prices independently, often without transparency. Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Bakyt Torobaev, criticized the association’s practices, noting that rates during the irrigation season ranged from 1,000 to 2,500 KGS ($11 to $29) per hectare, and in some cases, reached as high as 10,000-15,000 KGS ($115-$170). “But no one knows if enough water was provided,” Torobaev remarked. The Ministry of Agriculture estimates that the Water Users Association collected approximately 1.5 billion KGS ($17 million) per season, though the allocation of those funds remains unclear. In response, the government has transferred responsibility for fee collection to the Water Resources Service. The proceeds will now be directed toward improving the country’s water infrastructure. According to official data, spring sowing in Kyrgyzstan is nearly complete, with 80% of the planned area already cultivated.