On November 29, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev chaired an online government meeting on the efficient use of water resources in Uzbekistan. The participants discussed water efficiency issues and the tasks set for the authorities, the press office of the President of the Republic reported to CentralAsia.news.
In accordance with the President’s instructions, 1,500 kilometres of canals will be concreted in 2024, which is 4 times more than this year. The Uzbek authorities seek to achieve the goal of concreting 2,000 kilometres of canals and irrigation ditches by 2025.
The key problems under discussion included water scarcity, particularly in the agricultural sector. In Uzbekistan, 1 hectare of cotton field requires from 10,000 to 11,000 cubic metres of water per year. Proper water management allows using 2-3 times less water in similar climatic and soil conditions.
The President of Uzbekistan discussed the new initiatives with the government officials aimed at reducing water losses and increasing water use efficiency. The measures discussed at the meeting include concrete lining of canals and ditches in the country.