The World Bank has approved a $200mn concessional credit to support Uzbekistan in modernizing its irrigation and drainage infrastructure and improving the quality of irrigation service delivery.
The government of Uzbekistan will contribute an additional $23.2mn in co-financing to the project, which marks the first phase of a broader World Bank-supported regional program aimed at improving water efficiency and conservation across Central Asia.
Uzbekistan’s arid climate makes irrigation essential for agriculture, a sector that contributes around 25% of the country's GDP and total employment. Most of the water used in agriculture is drawn from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers and delivered through an extensive network of canals and pumping stations. Agriculture consumes nearly 90% of the country’s water, making efficient use of this resource critical. However, much of the existing irrigation infrastructure is outdated, resulting in high water losses, uneven water distribution, and inadequate service for farmers.
Water scarcity in Uzbekistan is projected to worsen significantly due to climate change. Shrinking glacier-fed water flows, increased evapotranspiration, erratic rainfall patterns, and more frequent droughts are expected to reduce water availability by 30–40% while increasing irrigation demand by about 25%. These changes highlight the urgent need for modern and efficient irrigation systems.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Water Resources across five regions: the Republic of Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan, and Surkhandarya. By 2031, the initiative is expected to upgrade the country’s irrigation and drainage infrastructure.
Planned improvements include the concrete lining of 259 kilometers of major primary canals using modern geomembrane materials, re-sectioning and elevating canal beds to enable gravity-fed water flow, and eliminating the need for pumps where feasible. Additionally, around 470 hydraulic structures will be constructed to improve water control, and gated canal outlets equipped with flowmeters and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system will be installed for more accurate monitoring and management.
The project is designed to deliver tangible benefits, including improved irrigation service delivery for 232,000 hectares of farmland and direct support to approximately 180,000 water users, including 80,000 women. It is also expected to reduce annual water losses by about 540mn cubic meters and save over 165mn kWh of electricity each year, contributing to greater energy efficiency and lower operational costs.
“Through this project, the World Bank is proud to support the implementation of Uzbekistan’s 2020–2030 Concept for Developing the Water Resource Management Sector, which aims to expand water- and energy-efficient infrastructure nationwide,” said Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Director for Central Asia. “The planned improvements will help boost agricultural productivity, enhance the well-being of water users, incentivize private investments, and support job creation in the irrigation and agrifood sectors.”
Earlier, the World Bank approved a $35mn concessional credit to help Uzbekistan improve its collection and utilization of geospatial data by following global best practices. The project aims to advance digitalization in public service delivery and support sustainable territorial development.
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