LocationsUNDP hosts a workshop on the efficient use of land and water resources in agriculture
November 28, 2022
On November 25, Tashkent hosted a seminar on "Efficient use of land and water resources in agriculture" within the framework of the joint project of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan "Support for an inclusive transition to a green economy in the agri-food sector and the development of a climate-smart knowledge system and Innovation in Agriculture in Uzbekistan (EU-AGRIN)”, funded by the European Union.
The workshop was attended by Deputy Minister of Agriculture Alisher Turaev, UNDP project staff, researchers from the National Research University "Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization", Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems, representatives of the khokimiyats of Tashkent, Fergana and Kashkadarya regions, and also representatives of AKIS regional centers and higher and secondary specialized educational institutions working in the field of agriculture, research institutes, representatives of public organizations.
At the event, the participants got acquainted with the technologies and methods of irrigation of the Research Institute of Irrigation and Water Problems, the modeling of hydrodynamic processes in hydraulic engineering and land reclamation, the activities of the Laboratory of Equipment and Melioration Mechanisms and the Saniplast enterprise, and examined the drip irrigation systems produced by the enterprise.
“As a result of global climate change, the ameliorative state of irrigated arable lands has been deteriorating in recent years due to water shortage, and most of the internal irrigation networks have become unusable. As a result, farmers and dekhkans suffer most from water shortages and face reduced productivity. This indicates the negative impact of agriculture on the economy as a whole. Within the framework of the EU-AGRIN project funded by the European Union, in order to eliminate the above problems and shortcomings, we plan to use mature European experience in small farms and dekhkan farms in Tashkent, Fergana and Kashkadarya regions, which are our model regions. We are committed to helping farmers innovate by developing and testing drought-tolerant crop varieties, adapting to climate change, and using technologies that save land and water resources. We hope that today's workshop will be useful for industry professionals,” said Ulugbek Islamov, National Coordinator of the EU-AGRIN project.
The workshop included a detailed discussion of the issues of efficient use of land resources, prevention of deterioration of soil fertility, and promotion of best practices in growing quality products. In particular, presentations by leading industry experts were heard on the topics “The importance of water in achieving the overall sustainability of agricultural production: an overview of the European Union and world politics”, “Introduction of SMART technology on irrigated lands”, “Rational use of land and water resources and reclamation of saline lands”, “Smart Water Devices” in the digitalization of the water management system”, “Water accounting in agriculture: innovative methods” and “Water scarcity mitigation in the face of climate change”.
Participants of the workshop discussed such topics as the systematic organization of work against land degradation, the prevention of desertification, and the introduction of resource-saving advanced technologies in the effective use of household plots.
