The World Bank has approved a $200 million concessional credit to aid Uzbekistan in upgrading its irrigation and drainage infrastructure. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of irrigation service delivery, reduce water losses, and increase energy efficiency across five regions in the country. The Government of Uzbekistan will contribute an additional $23.2 million in co-financing.
This project represents the initial phase of a World Bank-supported regional program intended to assist Central Asian countries in improving water efficiency and conservation efforts.
Given Uzbekistan's arid climate, irrigation is crucial for agriculture, which accounts for roughly 25% of the national GDP and total employment. The sector primarily relies on water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers, delivered through an extensive network. Agriculture consumes about 90% of the country's water resources, making efficient usage vital.
Water scarcity is anticipated to worsen significantly due to reduced glacier-fed flows, increased evapotranspiration, erratic rainfall, and more frequent droughts. These factors are expected to decrease water availability by 30–40% while increasing irrigation demand by 25%, exerting further pressure on resources.
Much of Uzbekistan’s current irrigation infrastructure is outdated, leading to substantial water losses and uneven distribution across regions. Additionally, around 2.4 million hectares of agricultural land rely on pumps for their water supply; these pumps consume approximately 7.2 billion kWh annually or 16% of national electricity use.
Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Director for Central Asia stated: “Through this project, the World Bank is proud to support the implementation of Uzbekistan’s 2020–2030 Concept for Developing the Water Resource Management Sector.” She added that planned improvements would boost agricultural productivity and incentivize private investments.
The Ministry of Water Resources will oversee project activities in Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan, and Surkhandarya regions with completion expected by 2031. Planned upgrades include concrete lining major canals using modern materials like geomembrane; re-sectioning canal beds; constructing hydraulic structures; installing gated outlets equipped with flowmeters; and implementing a SCADA system.
Expected outcomes include improved irrigation service delivery over 232,000 hectares enhancing productivity; benefiting approximately 180,000 users including women with reliable services; reducing annual water losses by about 540 million cubic meters contributing towards sustainable use; saving over 165 million kWh each year boosting energy efficiency while lowering costs.