Kazakh authorities intend to revise cropping patterns due to expected water shortages. This was announced by Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Nurzhan Nurzhigitov at a government briefing, Kazinform reports.
According to the minister, the country's southern regions—primarily the Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions—are 90% dependent on the transboundary Syr Darya River. This year, water reserves in the basin were 3.9 billion cubic meters below last year's levels. An additional decline in water resources has been recorded in five southern regions of Kazakhstan, where the deficit is approximately 1.9 billion cubic meters.
Since December, authorities have been holding meetings with farmers, urging them to adopt water-saving technologies. The final water supply forecast will be sent to the regions in February, after which the Ministry of Agriculture, together with the akimats, will review the cropping patterns.
In Kyzylorda Oblast, rice cultivation is planned to be reduced to 70,000 hectares, and in Turkestan Oblast, to 3,500 hectares, down from 16,000 hectares the previous year. Similar restrictions will also affect cotton production.
It was previously reported that irrigation water shortages in the southern regions during the upcoming growing season could reach 1 billion cubic meters.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
January 13, 2026