Uzbekistan plans to increase water use efficiency by 25% in the next five years, the president Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated at a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Samarkand on Wednesday.

“the average global temperature in the world is projected to increase by 1.5 degrees by 2040. But in the current situation, we are seriously concerned that such a situation may occur as early as 2030,” the head of state said.

According to him, a quarter of the world's population faces the problem of clean drinking water. As the pace of climate change accelerates, food shortages have become a global threat. As a result, about 800 million people in the world live in extreme poverty.

Due to the growing conflicts in different regions, traditional logistics routes are completely changing. Disruptions in the supply chain lead to an increase in prices for raw materials and consumer goods, the head of state said.

Currently, the Central Asia’s population stands at over 80 million people. The region's GDP is expected to reach $700 billion in the next five years.

"While, the demand for large infrastructure projects in our region is growing every day. The ongoing China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project is a clear example of such a large regional infrastructure project," said Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

While, food security and water shortages are becoming urgent issues in Central Asia.

"Uzbekistan has developed its own strategy in this regard and has launched large-scale projects to save 15 billion cubic meters of water by increasing water use efficiency by 25% in the next five years. But solving the water problem requires cooperation between the countries of the region and international financial organizations," he emphasized.

The president proposed an initiative to create a regional center for the widespread adoption of water-saving technologies in cooperation with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. "I think that our neighbors will also support this initiative," he noted.

In Uzbekistan, more than 90% of fresh water is used in agriculture. This is much higher than the global average.

In April 2023, the first deputy Minister of Water Resources noted that by 2030 the country will lack 7 billion cubic meters of water (25% of current volumes). A BCG partner estimated water conservation initiatives in Uzbekistan at $10 billion. According to him, the state needs to prioritize costs correctly.

Rising prices for drinking water in Uzbekistan, a reduction in rice cultivation areas in Karakalpakstan, and the suspension of irrigation water supplies from Kyrgyzstan to Kazakhstan indicate a worsening water crisis in Central Asia.