In Kyrgyzstan, the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry has summarized the results of its work over 11 months in the areas of irrigation and providing the population with quality water.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, during this period, 5.6 billion cubic meters of water were consumed. The irrigation system covers 404 legal entities and more than 77,000 farmers, with over 2.8 million hectares of land irrigated.
Key achievements include:
- The commissioning of 10 reservoirs, while dozens are in the design or construction phase;
- Repairs and cleaning of more than 550 kilometers of canals, as well as hundreds of hydraulic structures and pumping stations;
- The development of 729 hectares of new land and improvement of water supply on more than 22,000 hectares of irrigated land.
The implementation of water-saving technologies has become one of the main areas of work. Drip and sprinkler irrigation have been introduced on 17,700 hectares, particularly actively in the Chui region. The Issyk-Kul region has been chosen as a pilot for the development of drip irrigation aimed at protecting the water resources of the lake.
The introduction of new tariffs has also yielded positive results: revenues from water use have increased 2.5 times, amounting to 263 million soms. All funds are directed towards the development of irrigation infrastructure.
The Ministry of Agriculture reports that, despite the challenging climatic conditions this year, there have been no mass complaints from farmers in the current irrigation season.
Regarding the provision of drinking water to the population:
- 796 settlements have gained access to clean water;
- Construction and preparatory work is ongoing in more than 600 villages.
The sector is actively transitioning to digital technologies: water accounting systems, automation of public services, online payments, and digital maps of irrigation systems are being implemented.
