BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. A regional center
for modern irrigation, the “Water School,” is being established in
Turkestan with the support of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB),
the EDB said on September 29.
The center will serve as a practical platform for improving the
qualifications of farmers and specialists, mastering modern
irrigation technologies, and promoting effective water resource
management practices.
The school is being established based on the Turkestan branch of
the state enterprise Kazvodkhoz as part of the technical assistance
project “Development of a Business Ecosystem for Sustainable
Irrigation in Kazakhstan,” implemented with the support of the EDB
in strategic partnership with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water
Resources and Irrigation and the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP).
Preparations for the training facilities are currently underway.
The school’s program will combine theoretical classes with
practical training. Farmers and specialists will be able to study
modern irrigation management methods, water-saving technologies,
and approaches to improving the efficiency of water resource use
directly in conditions relevant to agricultural enterprises.
“For the EDB, sustainable development of irrigation is not only
about modern technologies, but also about knowledge that makes it
possible to use them effectively. The ‘Water School’ will become a
practical platform for training specialists and farmers, testing
modern solutions and subsequently scaling them up in Central Asian
countries,” said Arman Ahunbayev, Head of the EDB Center for
Sectoral Analysis.
National and international experts are expected to be involved
in the work of the school, while cooperation with universities in
Kazakhstan and the exchange of experience with Central Asian
countries will also be developed. The regional center is expected
to become a platform for disseminating knowledge, practical skills,
and modern solutions in the field of water conservation.
The “Development of a Business Ecosystem for Sustainable
Irrigation in Kazakhstan” is a technical assistance project
designed for 2025-2029. Its budget amounts to about $5.3 million.
The project is being implemented with the support of the EDB in
strategic partnership with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources
and Irrigation and UNDP.
The project combines the digitalization of water resource
management, specialist training, testing of modern irrigation
technologies, multipurpose management of reservoirs, and
improvement of the regulatory framework.
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is a multilateral
development bank carrying out investment activities across the
Eurasian region. For 20 years, the EDB has contributed to
strengthening and expanding economic ties and the comprehensive
development of its member countries.
As of the end of June 2026, the EDB’s cumulative portfolio
comprised 348 projects with total investments of $22.1 billion. The
largest share of the EDB’s portfolio consists of projects in
transport infrastructure, digital systems, green energy,
agriculture, industry and mechanical engineering.
