Uzbekistan introduces subsidy system for water-saving irrigation technologies

Uzbekistan has approved a new system to subsidize farmers adopting water-saving irrigation technologies, aiming to expand efficient water use in agriculture and reduce resource pressure.

Under a government resolution adopted on April 28, the regulation defines procedures for partially reimbursing the costs of introducing water-saving irrigation systems, according to the Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan.

The subsidy will be provided from the state budget and granted only once for each land contour where such technology is implemented, regardless of the type of agricultural product or irrigation method used.

To qualify, applicants must register their land plots and crop types in the Agroportal system. Farmers are required to submit an electronic application through the platform, along with supporting documents, including a contract with a contractor listed in the “Tomchi-reyestr,” project documentation, and a completion certificate confirming that installation works have been finalized.

The application must also include detailed information on the location and boundaries of the land plots where the technology has been introduced.

Farmers who implement water-saving irrigation systems using their own funds will receive 50% of the calculated subsidy amount in advance, based on established criteria.

The initiative follows earlier policy directions announced during a presidential meeting in February, which set ambitious targets for expanding water-efficient agriculture.

By 2028, Uzbekistan plans to install water-saving irrigation technologies on 930,000 hectares of land, increasing the total area equipped with such systems to 3.5mn hectares, or about 80% of all irrigated land.