THE IMPACT OF WATER SCARCITY ON AGRICULTURE AND THE ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

Water scarcity is becoming one of the most important environmental, economic, and social challenges facing many regions of the world. This problem is particularly significant for Uzbekistan because agriculture depends heavily on irrigation, while water resources are limited and unevenly distributed. Water scarcity affects agricultural productivity, soil quality, crop development, farmers’ incomes, and food security. At the same time, insufficient water availability contributes to the degradation of natural ecosystems, reduction of water bodies, soil salinization, desertification, and deterioration of biodiversity. Climate change, increasing temperatures, population growth, inefficient irrigation systems, and excessive water consumption further intensify the problem. In recent years, Uzbekistan has implemented measures aimed at improving water-use efficiency, introducing water-saving irrigation technologies, reducing losses in irrigation networks, and strengthening integrated water-resource management. In 2023, measures were adopted to improve water-use efficiency, including stricter allocation of available water resources, reduction of irrigation losses, and wider introduction of water-saving technologies.  The purpose of this article is to examine the main effects of water scarcity on agriculture and the ecological environment and to discuss approaches for sustainable water-resource management in Uzbekistan.