In the next 10-20 years water scarcity may become one of the most acute problems among the Central Asia countries. At the same time, agriculture is the largest water user in Uzbekistan. A way out of the current situation experts call the "green development" of the country.

According to the forecasts, in the next 50 years, the reduction of river flow in Central Asia will be about 20%, which will complicate the management of water resources in the region, which is already difficult to call well-established and sustainable. At the same time, as the most populous country in the region Uzbekistan is one of the main water users in Central Asia, and also has an agriculture based on artificial irrigation. So the possible water shortage in the future for Uzbekistan may become the most acute in the region.

How the green development of the country will contribute to the way out of the current situation, what is the best international experience exist in this direction? These issues were discussed during an international online forum organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Uzbekistan together with a number of partners on March 3-4, 2021.

Nowadays, when humanity in the process of the COVID-19 pandemic has learned how important it is to be prepared for various crises, how people's health, the state of the environment, and the economy of countries are interconnected, it is necessary to use this experience to adjust the development vector. The postcovid recovery of the states, including Uzbekistan, should develop as much as possible along the green path, so as not to create the problems of tomorrow.

The main idea of the international online forum "Building forward better" is to unite the efforts of the government, society, and business for a large – scale transition to a green economy: Green recovery of Uzbekistan after the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic". 

According to the World Resources Institute, Uzbekistan is among the 25 countries most affected by water stress, and water shortages will worsen with climate change. At the same time, Uzbekistan has one of the highest rates of freshwater abstraction and one of the lowest rates of water use efficiency in the world.

Despite the fact that the country's agriculture takes up to 90% of the total water consumption of the republic, one third of the water in the agricultural sector is simply lost - due to the inefficiency of irrigation networks. Water is also used inefficiently in the fields because of aging infrastructure and inefficient farming practices.

The old-ways work also leads to an aggravation of the process of soil salinization and a decrease in the productivity of agricultural crops, which not only removes significant areas of land from production, but also contributes to desertification and the increase in toxic dust storms in the Aral Sea basin.

What does a green agricultural development path offer in response to these challenges, to combine conservation and environmental improvement with increased productivity, employment and profitability? Here are the six main principles of green agriculture:

* Reverse land degradation. To achieve this, it is necessary to use agricultural technologies that minimize tillage, preserve its moisture and organic material. This, in turn, leads to the prevention of soil erosion and degradation. Examples, in particular, are the technology of "zero tillage" of the soil, diversified crop rotation.

* Stop overgrazing on pastures, make it controlled, for which it is necessary to introduce effective livestock production technologies. This will make it possible to restore pastures, that is, to preserve them, which is extremely important not just for the same animal husbandry, but for the preservation of the ecosystem as a whole.

* Use water resources efficiently. So, already well-known technologies in agriculture are drip irrigation, sprinkling, discrete irrigation, and the use of greenhouses. Not just their pilot application, but their widespread introduction and use on a mandatory basis will give a huge effect, both to water conservation, which is so important for Uzbekistan, and to the development of agriculture itself.

* Use of environmentally friendly agrochemicals and fuels to prevent contamination of the soil, water, and air, which must be protected both for themselves and for future generations.

* To recycle agricultural waste as much as possible. This can be done, in particular, by reusing residual waste in production facilities, such as compost, biological gas, etc.

* Introduce crops, such as drought - and salt-resistant ones, that help to biologically clean the environment. In particular, carbon dioxide can be captured by perennial crops, tree crops, which are also resistant to soil salinity. The increased use of such crops also provides ample opportunities for adaptation to climate change.

Further agricultural reforms are needed in order to encourage farmers to actively implement these measures and train them to apply them effectively. Including those aimed at reducing the area under cotton and wheat while increasing their productivity. At the same time, farmers should have the freedom to choose green technologies and their suppliers, and it is necessary to reduce the interference of local authorities in this process.

In particular, the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), which was recently decided by the Government, can help raise farmers ' awareness and skills.

In addition, it is necessary to invest in the creation of digital technologies for the agricultural sector, which will allow farmers to master modern methods of using services and farming, minimize the human factor at the same time, increase access to operational reports and forecasts on water availability and the likelihood of adverse weather events, help representatives of the agricultural sector to become more independent in the search for green technologies and making decisions on their choice and use.

These and other measures of green development will allow the agriculture of Uzbekistan to become more and more resistant to the processes caused by climate change, to ensure the country's domestic consumption, to develop organic agriculture and enter export markets, to minimize risks to the environment, on the state of which, as we all understand today, depends not only on the existence or existence of agriculture, but also, in principle, human development in general. And the stage of the country's recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic can be a good start for green development and a large-scale transition to the" green " economy of Uzbekistan.

The main task of the UNDP in the framework of the joint project with the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan "Building forward better green recovery in Uzbekistan" is to provide comprehensive support to the National Interdepartmental Council for the Promotion and Implementation of the "green economy" in the country. In particular, to initiate long-term and targeted technical assistance, advisory and coordination support to the Interdepartmental Council, to ensure capacity-building of Council members and beneficiaries of the National Green Economy Strategy, to assist in consultations with stakeholders, and to assist in attracting funds from donors and investors. The final expected outcome of the joint Government-UNDP project " Towards Green Recovery in Uzbekistan "is the development of a roadmap and investment strategy for a large-scale transition to a green economy under the leadership of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan.