Farmers in Central Asia Are Benefiting From World Bank-Financed Water Projects

Millions of people across Central Asia depend directly or indirectly on irrigated agriculture. Yet the region’s agricultural sector has one of the lowest levels of water productivity in the world. To address this, the World Bank has invested millions of dollars to introduce effective tools and water saving technologies, as well as build up the capacity of water specialists, farmers and Water User Associations. The Central Asia Water and Energy Program (CAWEP)—a partnership between the World Bank, the European Union, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to strengthen the enabling environment to promote water and energy security in the region—has provided technical and expert assistance to assess the region’s irrigation sector. This work has made a positive impact on the lives of farmers and contributed to the region’s development.