Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Experts from the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Research (IMRI) studied ways to overcome water resource shortages through rational placement of agricultural crops in the areas of Jizzakh and Syrdarya regions.

The study calculated the share of water-intensive agricultural crops in the total sown area, extending about 200 kilometers from Syrdarya River to the Mirzachul steppe. The area is conventionally divided into 3 zones.

In the first zone: in the riverine areas of Syrdarya region, such as Bayaut, Gulistan, Saykhunabad, the share of less water-intensive crops in the total sown area is 54 percent. In Khavast and Mirzabad districts, which are located in the second zone, this figure varies from 56 to 66 percent. However, in remote areas of the third zone, located at a distance of 60-70 km from the Syrdarya River, there is a high level of placement of water-intensive crops.

According to the results of the study, it was revealed that with distance from the river bed, the share of water-intensive crops in the total sown area increases. This leads to large losses of water during transportation, as well as increased costs for water supply. It is advisable to reduce the placement of water-intensive crops from 50 to 10 percent as they move away from the river bed.

Water losses in the main canals “Southern Mirzachul” and “Dustlik”, flowing from the Syrdarya River into the steppe zone, amount to 5-6 percent, in internal canals - 7-8 percent. In off-farm irrigation canals (in internal ditches), a water loss of 30% is observed due to evaporation and absorption. Based on this, the following water saving measures are proposed:

placement of water-intensive crops in the first zone, closest to the river bed (for example, sowing rice, the irrigation rate of which is 25 thousand m3 of water per hectare);

the second zone should be rationally distributed between medium-water-intensive crops, such as cotton (5-6 thousand m3/hectare) and vegetables (8-9 thousand m3/hectare);

in the third zone it is advisable to place less water-intensive crops - winter grain (4-5 thousand m3 / hectare), peas (3-4 thousand m3 / hectare) and vineyards (2-3 thousand m3 / hectare), which will allow rational use water resources.

As a result, as we move away from the river bed, areas of succession of rice growing, vegetable growing, grain growing, and horticulture will be formed, and water losses will be reduced by 12 percent.

According to the study, with rational placement of agricultural crops in the next 15 years in Jizzakh and Syrdarya regions, a reduction in water consumption for irrigation of up to 30 percent can be achieved.