The government of Uzbekistan has approved the procedure for reimbursing part of the costs for introducing water-saving irrigation technologies in agriculture, according to a resolution dated April 28. The news was reported by the Telegram channel 'Huquqiy axborot'.
Under the resolution, subsidies will be allocated from the state budget and granted only once for each contour, regardless of the type of agricultural product or technology. This provides additional financial incentives for farmers to adopt water-efficient methods.
To receive the subsidy, applicants must register their land plots by contours and types of crops in the Agroportal system. Applications are submitted electronically through this platform, streamlining the process.
The application must include: a copy of the contract with a contractor registered in the 'Tomchi-reestr', copies of project documentation and a certificate of completion of construction, as well as information on the contours (area and exact location) where the work was carried out.
Additionally, applicants who have implemented technologies using their own funds will receive an advance payment of 50% of the subsidy according to established calculations. This is a key step to encourage farmers to invest in water-saving technologies.
It is worth recalling that in December 2025, Minister of Water Resources Shavkat Khamraev announced that water reserves in Uzbekistan, including transboundary reservoirs, had decreased by 6.5 billion cubic meters. Plans for 2026 include introducing water-saving technologies on 503,000 hectares.
On February 3, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation on ensuring efficient water use and widespread adoption of water-saving technologies. It was reported that by 2028, water-saving technologies are planned to be installed on 930,000 hectares, expanding such areas to 3.5 million hectares, or 80% of all irrigated land. This would save 3.5 billion cubic meters of water annually, improve water supply for 300,000 hectares, and enable irrigation of secondary crops.
Shortly thereafter, on February 5, a presidential decree stipulated that the tax for using water resources would be doubled on irrigated lands where water-saving technologies have not been introduced. Starting in 2027, taxes and subsidies will be determined based on the level of water supply, and the installation of 'smart' meters will become mandatory.
Source: www.gazeta.uz