BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The Asian Development Bank is ready to support Azerbaijan in water resource management and irrigation modernization, the director of the ADB Representative Office in Azerbaijan, Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, said at the Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW2025), Trend reports
She noted that Azerbaijan can count on ADB support in implementing its national water resources strategy, modernizing irrigation infrastructure, and introducing artificial intelligence technologies for effective data management.
According to Durrani-Jamal, the starting point for securing water resources, especially for a country located in the lower reaches of a river, is to conduct a risk assessment based on satellite monitoring data. This approach makes it possible to identify water availability in different geographical areas and determine “hot spots” — areas with an increased risk of flooding, drought, or water shortages.
“Sometimes the causes of water problems are related not only to climate, but also to politics,” noted the ADB representative. “For example, one South Asian country had a subsidy policy that led to excessive groundwater extraction. This requires detailed diagnosis and adjustment of approaches.”
Following a risk assessment, the ADB advises countries on integrated water resources management, considers solutions based on nature-based approaches, and explores possible financial and non-financial support instruments.
She noted that for Azerbaijan, the bank plans to focus on assisting in the implementation of the national water strategy, modernizing irrigation infrastructure, developing a roadmap for the introduction of artificial intelligence for the effective use of data, and working with farmers, who are the end users of irrigation systems and seeds.