Boosting Water Efficiency and Farming Productivity in Kyrgyzstan Through New Irrigation Laws

Background

The Kyrgyz Republic is a landlocked independent country in Central Asia with a territory of 199 900 sq.km. and a population of 6,9 million. Kyrgyzstan is located on the ancient Silk Road trade route and surrounded by the Tien-Shan and Pamir-Alay mountains system. Only 5-7% of the country territory is in the valley with a land suitable for agriculture. The agricultural land is about 1 032 000 ha, out of it 736 000 ha is irrigated land. Irrigation water is supplied to the farmers first through the so called off-farm canals managed by the State and further by the on-farm irrigation canals managed by the Water Users Associations (WUA). 

With the new legal framework, the Local-Self Governance bodies (LSG) assume new role for on-farm irrigation. LSG bodies take over from WUAs ownership and responsibility for on-farm irrigation canals and irrigation water delivery to the farming households. The overall project development  goal: contribute to the reduction of multi-dimensional poverty of farming families in Osh, Jalalabad and Issyk Kul region who depend on irrigation services. By supporting relevant system actors at local (Local Self-Governments, Water User Associations, farmers), regional and national levels (Unions, Departments, Agencies, Ministries, Committees and Parliamentarians) in the implementation of the new legal framework regarding on-farm irrigation, these actors will be able to make best use of the new opportunities, improve their collaboration and contribute to a more effective and efficient organisation of on-farm irrigation and related services, thus leading to increased water efficiency and agricultural productivity, improved livelihoods and increased resilience of farming households in rural Kyrgyzstan.