BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 24. Satellite-based monitoring of water usage in Uzbekistan is driving higher crop yields, Mukhiddin Ibragimov, Deputy Director of UzSpace, said at the Space Technology Conference (STC 2025) in Baku, Trend reports.
"In Central Asia, one of the key challenges associated with climate change is the deterioration of water balance. Rational water usage is becoming an increasingly urgent task. Facing this challenge, we began to think about how we could redesign the water resource management system. Remote sensing technologies are providing some of the answers," he said.
Ibragimov explained that the technology used for water monitoring is based on satellite data, specifically utilizing evapotranspiration—the combined process of water evaporation from the soil surface and transpiration through plants.
"Remote sensing satellites, using data from various spectral ranges, allow us to collect information on water flows. This includes considering all sources of water inflow: precipitation, groundwater, irrigation, and others," he added.
The official also pointed out that the data includes information about the types of crops being grown, their yields, and other parameters.
"Ultimately, we create a digital map where every field, crop, and water source can be seen. We can analyze how much water was delivered and how much was used. These insights allow us to determine how efficiently water is being used. Some fields achieve high yields with less water consumption, and these can be considered exemplary. There are also 'outsiders'—fields with high water consumption but low yields. This data enables the government to assist farmers in either increasing yields without increasing water usage or reducing water consumption," he said.
The technology is currently being applied in three regions of Uzbekistan, covering over five million hectares, including more than 1.6 million hectares of agricultural land, which are being monitored for ten major crops.
"For example, in the Fergana Valley, the entire water infrastructure has been digitized, including rivers, canals, irrigation, and drainage systems. Agricultural lands were then identified, and a field audit was conducted, including sensors, pumping stations, and wells. All this has become part of a unified digital model," Ibragimov explained.
He emphasized that around 90 percent of the water in Uzbekistan is used for agriculture, with 30–40 percent being wasted. The monitoring system indicates that by optimizing the existing system without increasing water intake, wheat yields can be boosted by 30–40 percent, significantly enhancing food security.
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