The Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (REC-CA) is launching two large-scale projects in Kazakhstan for efficient water resource management and sustainable water use, funded by private sponsors.
The announced total cost of the projects is around 300 million tenge (over 600,000 dollars). Under the auspices of REC-CA, established in 2001 by the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan with the support of the European Union and UNDP, three dozen projects have been successfully implemented in the region in the field of environmental protection. Since the water resource deficit in Central Asia is a common regional problem, water-saving technologies and efficient agricultural production have been on the agenda for decades.
In September, by the decree of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kazakhstan established the Ministry of Water Resources for the first time in the history of its independence. Therefore, the implementation of even non-governmental initiatives will be accompanied by state support.
Big and Exposed
“A large part of Central Asia is in a moisture deficit zone, and agriculture is only possible with irrigated farming. In terms of the potential for irrigated farming in the region, Uzbekistan is at the limit of its irrigated agriculture, using up to 96% of cultivated land. Kazakhstan’s level is only 7.6% of the total potential, which is very low for a country with such a vast territory. Globally, Central Asia ranks 5th in the world in terms of irrigated land area, trailing only China, India, the USA, and Pakistan. Though, when comparing the territories of Kazakhstan and Pakistan, it becomes clear how challenging it is for Kazakhstan to achieve its irrigated agriculture potential”, said Firuz Ibrokhimov, the chief specialist for monitoring and evaluation at REC-CA.
According to him, the region uses 79% of the water from the main transboundary basins for irrigation purposes, with Uzbekistan accounting for more than half of this. Kazakhstan’s share is only 15.3%. — «66% of the gross agricultural production of Central Asia in monetary terms is provided by irrigated farming. In crop farming, the figure reaches 80%. In the context of a drought-prone climate, only irrigated farming is the main guarantee of food security, employment of the population, and poverty reduction. Therefore, the use of various water-saving technologies is very productive and adapts the region to the increasing frequency of droughts and the intensifying water resource deficit,» the expert said.
All 5 states of the region have similar water use issues:
- Wear and tear of inter-farm and intra-farm irrigation infrastructure — its average age is 50 years;
- Land degradation — up to 50% of the region’s irrigated lands are prone to salinization or waterlogging;
- Filtration losses of irrigation water reach 40%, with one third being lost in main and inter-farm systems, and the remaining two thirds in intra-farm channels.
Technologies exist, it’s time to act.
Firuz Ibrokhimov noted that discussions about more efficient farming by larger entities, rather than smaller ones, are particularly relevant now. — Every crop has its own profitability. For example, growing cotton on an area of less than 5 hectares or growing wheat on an area of less than 10 hectares is not economically viable. Consequently, all these factors must be taken into account, the expert said.
Technologies are not standing still, and there are plenty of solutions to the water deficit problem. The most effective among them are the modernization of irrigation infrastructure, optimization of the structure of cultivated agricultural crops, modernization of irrigation equipment, water accounting, and monitoring of land quality. The REC-CA specialist cited as an example projects implemented in South Kazakhstan within the financing of the World Bank for the restoration of more than ten underground wells and the installation of special meters and automation systems on them, allowing the delivery of standardized volumes of irrigation water for specific crops to the fields.
“At the regional level, REC-CA has already given recommendations for specific actions in terms of developing water cooperation among countries. — Firstly, it is the establishment of a regional cooperation mechanism between the irrigation sectors and joint work. Secondly, there is a need to form an international water-energy consortium for Central Asia with the aim of uniting efforts in the fields of water resources and energy. Thirdly, it’s high time to create a regional cluster in Central Asia focused on the production of modern irrigation equipment. Fourthly, it’s important to strengthen the positions of the region’s countries in enhancing cooperation, including transitioning from regular consultations to closer interaction and integration”, Firuz Ibrokhimov concluded.