By 2050, Amudarya water may decrease by 15% and Syrdarya water may decrease by 5%

It is estimated that by 2050, water resources in the Syrdarya River Basin will decrease by 5% and in the Amudarya River Basin by 15%.

This was noted in the Presidential Decree on the State Programme of Implementation of the Development Strategy of Uzbekistan for 2022-2026 in 2023.

It is known that 77 per cent of domestic irrigation networks are earthen, 44 per cent are in need of repair and rehabilitation, and 10 per cent are in need of reconstruction. In most cases, water users' intakes are not equipped with water management and metering facilities.

Therefore, the efficiency of the irrigation system and irrigation networks is low, and 35-40 per cent of water from the main sources is lost in the irrigation networks.

To prevent this, there are plans to establish a continuous minister-water supplier-farmer and to introduce water-saving digital technologies. As a result, the weight of natural losses in water supply will be reduced to 10 per cent. Also, 25 percent of water tax revenues will be earmarked for irrigation development in the districts and the concreting of aryks, ditches and canals.

According to the state programme, by the end of 2023 the Ministry of Water Resources will have to save at least 7 billion cubic metres of water and 300 thousand hectares through introducing digital technologies at 13 thousand water management facilities, application of water-saving technologies, timely implementation of necessary irrigation and reclamation measures aimed at irrigating recurrent crops in the field.

A total of 390 billion soums are planned to be spent on digitalization of water management facilities.