The Bakhmal district of Uzbekistan's Jizzakh region may soon launch a pilot project introducing 'ice stupa' technology — artificial glaciers designed to mitigate seasonal water shortages. This was reported by the office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Uzbekistan.

An FAO delegation visited Jizzakh region and met with district governor Aziz Ergashev. The talks covered climate change adaptation, efficient water resource management, horticulture development, and support for small greenhouse farms.

The delegation conducted field observations in several mountainous areas, engaged with local residents, and surveyed potential sites where the technology could help alleviate water scarcity.

According to experts, water from melting ice stupas could irrigate orchards, household plots, and other crops in early spring and during the growing season. This is expected to secure local incomes and agricultural sustainability in areas where water demand peaks at the start of the vegetation period.

Ice stupas are cone-shaped artificial ice structures created by deliberately freezing water during cold months. Unlike natural snowpack, they are designed to melt gradually in spring. As temperatures rise, these glaciers release stored water slowly, providing irrigation when natural sources are depleted.

The concept was developed in the early 2010s by Indian engineer and inventor Sonam Wangchuk, who worked in Ladakh, a high-altitude arid region of the Himalayas. There, snow falls in winter, but water becomes scarce in spring when the growing season begins. The tower or cone shape resembles Buddhist sacred monuments (stupas) and minimizes surface area exposed to sunlight, slowing melting and extending water availability.

Source: www.gazeta.uz