CABAR.asia says farmers of Khatlon province are seriously concerned over lack of irrigation water this summer that has led to the drying up of thousands of hectares of irrigated lands and crop losses. The lack of irrigation water is the main problem facing Khatlon farmers. According to CABAR.asia, farmers have repeatedly applied to local authorities to solve this problem, but they have never received a clear answer.
Thus, residents of Madaniyat village in Jaloliddin-Balkhi district say about 300 hectares of land were left without water this season and their crops have dried up.
Representatives of the Jaloliddini-Balkhi water management department have reportedly “confirmed the existing problem and stated that the main reason for the lack of water is the increase in the number of farming units.”
Mahmadamin Rajabov, the head of the Jaloliddini-Balkhi water use department, was cited as saying that this year they have provided 96 percent of the district agricultural lands with irrigation water.
According to him, there are 16,700 hectares of agricultural lands in the district, and 9,800 hectares of them have been sown with cotton.
“The lands of some farming units are irrigated by pumps, sometimes the pumps fail and there is a problem of water shortage. Actually, only about 100 hectares of farmlands in Madaniayt village community have a problem with watering. We have decided that we will supply the lands with water in accordance with the quota,” Rajabov was quoted as saying.
Officials at the Jaloliddini-Balkhi water management department say Madaniayt village community has 3,500 hectares of agricultural lands and only 100 hectares of them are faced with the lack of irrigated water.
Meanwhile resident of Madaniyat village community say that more than 400 hectares of their agricultural lands have been left without irrigation water this year.
