SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT AND FARM PRODUCTIVITY IN UZBEKISTAN: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS IN AGRO- MANAGEMENT

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationship between sustainable management of agricultural water resources and farm productivity in Uzbekistan from an agro-management perspective. Agriculture in the country is significantly dependent on irrigation water, and climate change, limited water resources, aging irrigation infrastructure, rising energy costs, and increasing demand for water make water management a strategic issue. The aim of the study is to identify the economic opportunities for increasing water use efficiency, the impact of modern irrigation technologies on farm productivity, and the main constraints to their implementation. The study was conducted based on a systematic narrative literature review. It analyzed international and institutional sources on water management, irrigation efficiency, climate-adapted agriculture, digital technologies, and agroeconomics. The results show that irrigation planning, drip irrigation, canal modernization, land leveling, soil moisture monitoring, remote sensing, and digital management systems can improve water use efficiency. However, the implementation of these technologies is limited by high initial investment, limited financial resources, lack of technical knowledge, infrastructure problems, and insufficient institutional coordination in water management. The study concluded that sustainable water management in Uzbekistan requires, in addition to technological solutions, training farmers, improving financial mechanisms, developing digital information systems, and strengthening cooperation between water management institutions.