BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, February 16. There is a need to construct more reservoirs to provide irrigation water for cultivated lands in Kyrgyzstan, said Bakyt Torobaev, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Trend reports.
"We currently have 1.28 million hectares of irrigated land, 11 large reservoirs, and 406 basins in the country. However, these reservoirs are currently insufficient. This necessitates the construction of new reservoirs and the repair of smaller ones. Currently, work is underway on 85 projects. The most important aspect is ensuring timely irrigation for farmers," he said.
He also mentioned that in this regard, heads of district state administrations, together with farmers, will implement a drip irrigation system as a pilot project in each district.
Discussing the four priority areas for the current year, Torobaev highlighted that the construction of daily regulation basins and tend-day regulation basins will be carried out intensively to address potential issues with wastewater.
Specifically, in the Chuy region, efforts will be made to build small reservoirs for draining certain rivers, as well as repair and restore existing reservoirs. Torobaev added that a budget of 2.2 billion soms ($24.6 million) has been allocated for these purposes.