As President Shavkat Mirziyoyev discussed projects implemented in the agriculture sector on April 18, it was noted that due to the canals' low efficiency and significant water losses in the internal networks, agriculture could earn less than $4.8bn per annum. With this in mind, the government intends to introduce a pipeline irrigation system in the Pakhtakor district of the Jizzakh region in the test mode.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev stressed the need to carry out similar work in the Kashkadarya, Namangan, and Syrdarya regions, where water supply cost is the highest. Therefore, it was instructed to reduce costs by developing a two-year program to introduce a pipeline irrigation system.
Instructions have also been given for transferring pumping stations to entrepreneurs through private partnerships and introducing alternative energy sources. In addition, practical projects will receive loans on preferential terms.
In the region's water shortage conditions, one billion cubic meters of mud water leaks for nothing yearly.
The President pointed to the possibility of the accumulation of salt water in tiny reservoirs and the need to support initiatives in this direction. Therefore, $100mn will be raised for the respective projects. In addition, the land used to irrigate the accumulated water will be made available to the entrepreneurs who have built the reservoirs for long-term free use.
At present, 450,000 hectares, or 15% of irrigated areas, have been eliminated by laser technology. If such land were doubled, another 900mn cubic meters of water would be saved, and water would be improved on an additional 200,000 hectares.
In this connection, it has been determined that a thousand laser leveling levels will be delivered this year, and clusters will set up laser leveling services for farmers.
Four hundred thousand hectares of drip and sprinkler irrigation technologies have been introduced recently. This year, work has begun on 80,000 hectares.
To further encourage the introduction of these technologies, the subsidy for each hectare of cereals and vegetable fields where the water-saving system has been introduced has been increased from UZS 1mn to 8mn. In addition, the bank loan rate for farmers was set at 17%.
It was essential to contact farmers and provide them with financial support. The goal is to create a separate center to form new water-saving projects at the "Agrobank" and attract qualified specialists abroad.
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