Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - On 7 February 2020, Tashkent hosted the final conference of the component of the European Union’s program “Sustainable water resources management in rural areas in the Republic of Uzbekistan”, Dunyo reported with reference to the press service of the Delegation of the European Union in Uzbekistan.

As the head of the EU Delegation, Ambassador Eduards Stiprais, the European Union has been supporting the water sector of the republic since 2016 and has already reached 20 million euros.

“The assistance is carried out within the framework of the EU Sustainable Water Management Program in rural areas, divided into three components, implemented respectively by GIZ, UNDP and CAREC,” the European diplomat noted. - Among the best results that we are proud of, it is important to note the creation of a water cadastre, which has so far been ideally updated and working, presenting the very first digital database system created in Central Asia.

The project "National Framework for Water Management and Integrated Water Resources Management" is implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) in cooperation with the Ministry of Water Resources.

During the event, the results and achievements of the project were presented. Among them are the development of river basin plans for the Shakhrikhansay river (Andijan region) and the Aksu river (Kashkadarya region), the publication of a basin planning guide in Uzbekistan, containing a methodology for the preparation of basin plans, as well as analytical background reports on two river basins as the scientific basis for the plans .

Along with this, the project integrated elements of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) into the river basin management process and conducted training for specialists and developed a roadmap for introducing SEA elements in basin planning in Uzbekistan.

Needs assessment for water and energy-saving technologies was carried out for selected demonstration sites based on six basin departments of irrigation systems (BIS) in Andijan, Namangan, Ferghana, Syrdarya, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya regions.

Based on a needs assessment, as well as to support the drainage water management system and the reclamation process, the program purchased 18 trucks and 6 excavators, 6 trucks with a crane, 6 concrete mixers, 6 diesel generators, 6 mini tractors, 6 mobile pumping stations, and 720 gauging stations in pilot areas were also installed.

In order to disseminate experience in water-saving technologies on the territory of more than 60 hectares. The pilot plots are planted with orchards with the installation and application of technologies such as drip irrigation, sprinkler and others.