The Government of Kyrgyzstan is determined to solve problems with drinking and irrigation water supply and is increasing investments in this direction.
Almazbek Sokeev, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic – Director of the Water Resources Service, met with the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia, Tatiana Proskuryakova, and with Hugh Ridell, Head of the World Bank Country Office in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Major concerns in the irrigation sector involve water losses due to aging infrastructure, low rates for water usage, and unsatisfactory salaries for personnel within water management organizations.
The Ministry intends to further digitalize the sector, encourage water conservation practices through efficient irrigation systems like drip and sprinkler methods, delegate the operation and upkeep of on-farm canals to district water management bodies, and enhance the capabilities of these organizations by raising salaries, supplying machinery and equipment, and improving workplace conditions, including office repairs and furnishing.
At the meeting, the participants engaged in discussions about working together to resolve the aforementioned challenges, as well as obtaining assistance from the World Bank under the ten-year program aimed at upgrading irrigation infrastructure in the Kyrgyz Republic.
To date, the Ministry has been assessing the water supply systems in three selected pilot districts, focusing on implementing a centralized model for service delivery. This model will allocate the tasks of operating and maintaining the water supply systems to the District Water Management Organizations, which currently oversee irrigation.
