The Central Asian countries in the Aral Sea Basin- Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan- have some of the largest irrigation schemes in the world. Some 22 million people depend directly or indirectly on irrigated agriculture in these countries. Without irrigation, much of the land would gradually revert to desert scrub.
Many detailed studies exist which tend to address a single issue or look at a particular geographic area. Few systematically analyze a topic across countries or attempt to weigh the relative importance of the different issues, which makes priority-setting difficult. This study aims to be a first step in filling that gap. It uses existing household survey and project data, backed up by detailed fieldwork in communities that have already seen significant deterioration in their irrigation systems. It is not possible to provide definitive answers, but by quantifying the scale and prevailing direction of each issue, this study aims to provide a basis on which to make decisions in the interim period until more detailed information becomes available.
Topics: Agriculture, Environment, IWRM, Transboundary Water Management, Water Management,
Keywords:
Agriculture, Environment, Irrigation, IWRM, Transboundary water issues, Water Management,