Digital technologies are set to improve the efficiency of water resource management. Experts from Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and international organizations, along with representatives from government ministries, research institutes, and IT companies, gathered in Astana to discuss ways to reduce water loss and implement water-saving technologies. The event featured a regional training on digitalization and sustainable water management. Participants shared proven water-saving technologies from their countries, including drip and sprinkler irrigation, laser field leveling, and the use of groundwater and drainage water.
«Laser leveling on flat terrain can save 20-30% of water. When combined with drip irrigation, water savings can be even greater. Digital tools can also be used to develop applications that help farmers determine exactly when and how much to irrigate, eliminating guesswork,» said Akmal Akramkhanov, Senior Scientist for Sustainable Land Management, ICARDA Country Coordinator for Uzbekistan.
Kazakhstan shared its experience, highlighting one of its digital solutions: the national water resources information system. According to its developers, the platform ensures transparent record-keeping, eliminates data duplication through integration with other government systems, and improves management efficiency amid water scarcity. It also enables monitoring of transboundary water bodies and facilitates cooperation with international partners. For example, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan share data on transboundary canals. Additionally, in 2026, the automation of 103 canals is planned in the Turkistan, Zhetisu, Zhambyl, and Kyzylorda regions.
«A unified dispatch center will be set up in Astana. From there, water distribution will be monitored across the country, showing how much water each region receives. The collected data, together with additional meteorological information, will be used for planning and analysis,» noted Zhanuzak Abdibaev, Leading Expert of the Digitalization Department, RSE Kazvodkhoz.
The Islamic Organization for Food Security emphasizes that challenges can only be addressed through collective action. Building strong partnerships is essential, grounded in technology and knowledge that can be shared from country to country.
«So the goal for new technologies, innovative technologies about how to, for drip irrigation for instance, is to go for low drip irrigation, and now we are talking about digitalisation of the water and how we can facilitate for the users in agriculture how the quality of water they are using. The people from Central Asia are getting acquainted with new technologies, tomorrow they will be the experts who will go to transfer the same technologies to other countries,» said Ismail Abdelhamid, Director of the Projects Department, Islamic Organisation for Food Security.
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