ASTANA, Kazakhstan, May 7. Central Asian countries have approved irrigation water supply schedules for the beginning of the summer agricultural season, following talks between the heads of water and energy agencies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Trend reports via the Kazakh Ministry of Energy.
The key outcome of the meeting was the signing of a trilateral protocol outlining agreed water release volumes and discharge schedules from the Toktogul reservoir for the next two months.
Kazakhstan’s delegation was led by Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov. The meeting was also attended by Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Minister Taalaibek Ibraev, Uzbekistan’s Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, and Uzbekistan’s Minister of Water Resources Shavkat Khamraev.
Ensuring sufficient water supply for southern regions during the vegetation period was the main issue on the agenda. The signed protocol guarantees adherence to water discharge schedules from the Toktogul hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan and removes uncertainty for farmers at the start of the irrigation season.
The agreement is expected to help farmers in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan carry out the initial phase of irrigation work smoothly and without disruptions.
To ensure stable water supply throughout the agricultural season, the countries agreed to continue coordination in stages. The next in-person meeting of the ministers is scheduled for mid-June in Bishkek, where the sides plan to finalize and approve water discharge schedules for the critical months of July, August, and September.
According to the parties, the successful agreement on summer water releases was preceded by coordinated work during the off-season. From September 2025 through April 2026, Kazakhstan supplied more than 1.56 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Kyrgyzstan’s power grid. This enabled Kyrgyzstan to avoid excessive winter water releases for heating purposes and preserve water resources in the Toktogul reservoir for agricultural needs across the region.
