World Bank to Allocate $200 Mln to Modernise Irrigation in Uzbekistan

The World Bank has approved a $200 mln concessional loan to Uzbekistan to modernise the country’s irrigation and drainage systems. The Uzbek government will provide an additional $23.2 mln from the state budget.

The project will be implemented across five regions: Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan and Surkhandarya. Planned work includes concreting irrigation canals, upgrading pumping stations, and introducing modern water management systems.

As a result, the quality of irrigation services will improve on 232,000 hectares of agricultural land. More than 180,000 users, including 80,000 women, will gain more reliable access to water.

The initiative is expected to save around 540 mln cubic meters of water and over 165 million kWh of electricity annually.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that the World Bank would also provide $35 mln for Uzbekistan’s digital transformation efforts.