On June 14-15, the OSCE Center in Ashgabat organized an online seminar on the modernization of the water management system of Turkmenistan and the introduction of digital systems into its work, reportedly to the website of the organization.

The event was attended by representatives of the State Committee for Water Resources, the Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant ministries and public organizations.

Four experts from Albania, the Netherlands and Switzerland spoke about the experience of the OSCE participating States in implementing innovative solutions and digital systems for sustainable water management. They also introduced participants to satellite remote sensing and its applications in irrigation efficiency analysis and crop mapping in the Central Asian region, as well as digital solutions to protect freshwater supplies from pollution.

“Given the devastating impact of global warming and climate change on water resources, it is necessary to develop and modernize the water sector through the introduction of advanced solutions and digital systems, which have become critical elements for ensuring the effective management and distribution of water,” said the Head of the Economic and Environmental Department of the OSCE Center in Ashgabat Ivan Markovich-Boshkovich .

Recall that in early summer, the authorities of Turkmenistan drew attention to the problems of water supply to the population and farmland of the country, which have been reported by independent media for years.

At a Cabinet meeting on June 8, President Serdar Berdymukhammedov ordered that rivers and canals be examined and cleaned, as well as the construction of desalination plants and the supply of water to Ashgabat from the Caspian Sea. On June 11,  the Government Commission for Water Supply of Turkmenistan was established, which must report on its work at each meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan