Uzbekistan : Climate Adaptive Water Resources Management in the Aral Sea Basin Sector Project

Agriculture, natural resources and rural development / Irrigation - Rural water policy, institutional and capacity development - Water-based natural resources management

Uzbekistan has the largest population of the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) countries. In 2015, about 12.8% of people in Uzbekistan lived below the national poverty line of which 75% live in rural areas. Agriculture employs 40% of the total workforce and represents 17% of gross domestic product. In 2018, growth in agriculture slowed to 2.7% from 5.8% as crop diversification and a water deficit held growth in crop output to 1.1%. Improved water resources management is critical for sustained agricultural development and economic growth.

Transboundary water resources are an overarching challenge for Uzbekistan. Of the total 123 cubic kilometer of water resources of the ASB, only 9% originates within Uzbekistan highlighting its water dependency. The country relies on the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers and their tributaries which emanate in upstream riparian countries (Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan). As these countries continue to develop water resources for hydropower, transboundary water cooperation becomes increasingly relevant.

Irrigated agriculture is the largest consumer of water resources accounting for 93% of all water utilized with 96% of the total cropped land irrigated (from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers and their tributaries). About 68% of irrigated land produces cotton and wheat. These are highly water consumptive and have low productivity (averaging 2.25 tons/ha for cotton and 4.2 tons/ha for wheat). The government has committed to converting 170,000 ha of cotton and 50,000 ha of wheat to horticulture and livestock from 2016 to 2020.

Major river diversion for intensive agriculture, over-irrigation and poor drainage have resulted in serious environmental degradation. Reduced river flows into the Aral Sea has resulted in irreversible desiccation and major impacts. High seepage losses in the irrigation system, over-application of irrigation water and deteriorated drainage networks have caused soil salinization and land degradation. In Uzbekistan, 51% of irrigated land is affected by salinity resulting in 20,000 ha of land lost annually due to saline soils.

The Government of Uzbekistan has initiated actions on policy and legal frameworks for the water sector; progress is slow, and approvals protracted. There is no medium or long-term vision for the water sector and no roadmap to create an enabling environment for modernization of water resources management.

Food and water security in the Aral Sea Basin improved

Climate-resilient and modernized irrigation systems established in selected I&D subprojects in the Amu Darya and the Zarafshan River basins.

Main canal water supply systems modernized

Interfarm Irrigation and Drainage systems and on-farm water management modernized

Policy and institutions strengthened for climate adaptive and sustainable water resources management

There will be international and national competitive bidding for civil works and goods.

Goods below $200,000 will be via request for quotations.