One of the main objectives of the regional project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) called "Integrated Natural Resources Management in Drought-Prone and Salt-affected Agricultural Production Landscapes in Central Asia and Turkey" is to disseminate successful practices of efficient and environmentally sustainable natural resource management. In order to achieve this objective, the project has provided modern equipment to agricultural producers in Turkmenistan, with financial and technical support of the project in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of the country and local government bodies.
Thus, agricultural producers in Dashoguz and Akhal velayats received nine centrifugal horizontal water pumping stations from the FAO. Five of them will supply water from the Garagum River through the main pipeline in the Central Garagum region, while four will provide water to remote areas of daikhan farms during dry periods.
With the help of these pumps, water will be continuously supplied to the fields of the Andalyp Daikhans Association in Akdepe etrap of Dashoguz velayat, to remote villages and pastures of the Yerbent livestock farm in Ak Bugday etrap of Akhal velayat, as well as to the water pipelines of Mary, Lebap, Balkan and Dashoguz velayats, benefiting six livestock farms. Overall, residents of rural areas and settlements in the desert areas of the Central Garagum region will have uninterrupted access to water for domestic and agricultural needs, as well as for livestock watering.
The uninterrupted and sustainable delivery of irrigation and drinking water using movable and mobile pumps will help the local population address the pressing issues of water scarcity in remote areas of farms, contribute to increasing the productivity of pastures and livestock, and improve the socio-economic conditions of livestock breeders, farmers and their families. The project will also continue to train specialists and the population in the skills of rational water resource management.
According to Mahmud Shaumarov, Regional Coordinator of the project, "The issue of conservation and efficient use of natural resources, particularly water and land resources, is vital in a region where agriculture plays a key role in ensuring food security."
The successful collaboration with national partners within the FAO project contributes to the search for and implementation of modern and effective technological solutions in response to a range of complex challenges in the field of natural resource management and agriculture.
