BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 14. A pilot project in Kazakhstan testing modern irrigation technologies is providing a blueprint for a potential regional industry in Central Asia, a source from the Eurasian Development Bank’s (EDB) Analytical Department told Trend.
"The EDB’s $5.3 million grant project with UNDP and Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation will start in Kazakhstan’s southern and eastern agricultural regions, where water stress is acute - including Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, Turkestan and Zhetysu regions, with particular focus on Turkestan and Kyzylorda. These are the areas where the impact of modern irrigation technologies can be measured quickly and visibly," the source stated.
The initiative establishes demonstration sites for modern irrigation systems - plastic pipelines and drip solutions - allowing the Bank and its partners to test technologies, adapt them to local conditions, and assess practical performance. At least 180 specialists will be trained, creating the skilled workforce needed for regional deployment.
"This makes the project a practical proof of concept for future regional production. It will show which technologies work best in local conditions, what technical standards are required, what skills farmers and water-sector specialists need, and how equipment can be installed, operated, and serviced at scale," the source explained.
The representative emphasized that Central Asia currently spends an estimated $140-320 million annually on imported irrigation equipment. By 2040, up to 2 million new units may be needed, creating a potential $426 million per year market for locally produced systems.
"The Kazakhstan-based pilot therefore helps answer a practical industrial question: which technologies can be standardized, produced, installed, and serviced locally at scale," the source noted.
Successful technologies and operating models from Kazakhstan could be scaled nationally and eventually shared across Central Asia through UNDP offices in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and other countries, laying the foundation for a regional irrigation manufacturing industry.
"By validating technologies, technical standards, operating models, and user demand in Kazakhstan, the project can create the basis for regional production of efficient irrigation equipment. Successful solutions tested in Kazakhstan can be scaled first nationally and then shared with other Central Asian countries through cooperation with UNDP offices in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the wider region," the source concluded.
