There are many measures to mitigate the negative effects of water scarcity, which is becoming more and more noticeable in Central Asia every year. It should be noted such measures as concreting irrigation networks and increasing their efficiency, laser land leveling, achieving efficient water use, full digitization of the branch, expanding the introduction of water-saving technologies and improving irrigation culture.
Currently, experts are focusing on the introduction of water-saving technologies, mainly at the expense of water consumers' own funds. In addition, these technologies are highly attractive in terms of increasing productivity while saving not only water, but also mineral fertilizers, fuels and lubricants, manpower, etc.
The real examples from the practice of dekhkans and farmers, who use water-saving technologies in areas with water scarcity, while receiving abundant harvests and high incomes, make this practice more and more popular. The Dzhumageldi farm of the Alat district of the Bukhara region, the Bakhtiyor-Nematjon-Shavkatjon farm of the Turakurgan district of the Namangan region, and such clusters as Khanteks of the Kurgantepa district of the Andijan region, Fergana Global Textile of the Kushtepa district of the Fergana region, the Sardoba Universal Cluster of the Sardoba region, have become the "locomotive" of their regions in the transition to water-saving technologies.
The state support mechanism started in Uzbekistan since 2019, including the allocation of subsidies for the introduction of water-saving technologies, has a great effect, stimulating clusters and farmers.
The allocation of subsidies is being improved from year to year. In 2019, agricultural enterprises that introduced water-saving irrigation technologies were allocated 137.9 billion soums, in 2020 - 251.6 billion soums of subsidies. Starting from 2021, the procedure for calculating the amount of subsidies allocated from the state budget based on the technology quality indicator was established, and in the same year 899.4 billion soums were allocated, including 754.4 billion soums of subsidies for technologies introduced on cotton fields.
In 2022, in order to establish a transparent mechanism for the exchange of information for all agricultural producers, a unified electronic register of contracting enterprises "Tomchi-Reestr" was established. A unified information system "Agro-subsidy" has been introduced to coordinate information on subsidies of agricultural producers who have introduced water-saving technologies.
At the same time, the state support mechanisms for the introduction of water-saving technologies have been improved and adapted in order to meet the requirements of the time. The amount of subsidies allocated to cover part of the costs of introducing water-saving technologies will be determined based on the quality of the water-saving system, 50% of the estimated amount will be allocated in the year of the system’s implementation, 50% will be allocated next year depending on the increase in yield and the use of equipment, and additional 20 % will be paid to cotton-and-grain and fruit-and-vegetable clusters, which have been maintaining high yields for the third year using the introduced technology. Based on the new procedure, the amount of subsidies paid to raw cotton producers in 2022 amounted to 71.3 billion soums.
If we analyze the figures, in recent years the area covered by water-saving technologies in the country has reached 1.0 million hectares. 398,000 hectares of land are irrigated by drip method, 31,000 hectares - by sprinkler method, 16,000 hectares - by discrete method, 73,000 hectares - by flexible pipes, 36,000 hectares - by film irrigation method, and 452,000 hectares of land were leveled according to laser leveling.
To date, Uzbekistan ranks 7th in the world after Israel, the USA, Russia, Spain, Brazil and Italy in the field of introducing water-saving technologies.
Uzbekistan takes the initiative among the countries of Central Asia to introduce water-saving technologies and expand the possibilities of using modern technologies in water management.
The expansion of areas for the introduction of water-saving technologies has led to the emergence of demand for the production of these technologies. In 2019, since the number of water-saving technology enterprises in the country was insignificant, 90% of equipment and components were imported from foreign countries. In those years, farms paid in advance the entire amount for the introduction of a drip irrigation system and waited 70-80 days for the delivery of technology.
Today, large enterprises such as cotton-and-textile clusters organize the production of technologies in local conditions. For example, the Mergantex and Agrocluster clusters' enterprises in Bukhara have established the production of drip irrigation equipment in local conditions. At present the number of enterprises producing equipment and components for water-saving technologies in Uzbekistan has reached 50. They fully install the technology in farms, which make 30 percent prepayment. Due to the localization of production, along with a reduction in the cost of production per hectare by 5-7 million soums, trade branches and recycling services have been created locally.
In 2023, water-saving technologies are planned to introduce on area of 500 thousand hectares, thereby the total area will be increased to 1.5 million hectares. In particular, this year the technology of drip irrigation is introduced on 260,000 hectares, sprinkling technology - on 25,000 hectares, and discrete irrigation technology - on 15,000 hectares. Laser leveling will be used on another 200,000 hectares.
Implementation of these technologies will save 1.9 billion cubic meters of water, 100 thousand tons of mineral fertilizers, 13 thousand tons of fuel and lubricants, the yield will be increased by an average of 15-20 centners, it will be possible to irrigate re-crops on 300 thousand hectares of land.
The Concept for the Development of the Water Resources of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2020-2030 sets the task to introduce water-saving technologies on at least 50% of the 4.3 million hectares of irrigated land in the country. Practical efforts are being made along this path, and there is very little time left to achieve half of the goal.
According to forecasts, under the influence of the global climate change, water resources in the Central Asian region will continue to decline, the need for water will increase from year to year due to population growth and industrial development. This once again suggests that the most optimal solution to the problem of water shortage is its saving and rational use.
Shukhrat Suyunov,
Head of Information Service of the Ministry of Water Management