A delegation from Uzbekistan visited IWHR on August 5, sparking discussions between the two sides on the construction and management of modern irrigation districts as well as agricultural water pricing policies.

The exchange was carried out in the context of the growing in-depth cooperation between China and Uzbekistan, especially in water conservancy and agriculture under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. IWHR would foster practical cooperation with its Uzbek counterparts, focusing on modern irrigation district construction and smart water-saving irrigation, stated the institute’s Vice President Dr. Wang Jianhua.

Uzbekistan faces challenges in building a modernized water sector and improving its agricultural water management capacity. The country expects to draw wisdom from China’s achievements and practical experiences in relevant areas through specialized projects and local technical training, exchanges of representatives from various sectors, including the Ministry of Water Resources, the Agricultural Bank, and Dostlik City of Jizzakh Region.

Reports on the modernization of China’s irrigation districts and the reform of the country’s agricultural water rights and water pricing were made by IWHR experts during technical exchanges. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on related issues and reached a consensus on establishing a long-term cooperation mechanism.

The delegation will also visit China’s irrigation districts in Beijing, Shandong and Xinjiang to get a glimps of the institute’s integrated industry-academia-research achievements in modern irrigation.