Azerbaijan to measure agricultural water consumption

The volume of water used in agriculture will be measured in Azerbaijan, Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov told Report's correspondent in Aghdam.

According to him, the Azerbaijani government is implementing a number of projects related to water resources.

Mammadov said one of the largest projects being implemented on the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev is the reconstruction of the Shirvan Canal. In addition, around 20 water infrastructure projects have been completed, are ongoing or are planned.

The minister said the development of water infrastructure could improve water supply. A significant part of Azerbaijan's water distribution network consists of earthen canals dating back to the Soviet period, resulting in substantial water losses.

Mammadov said the Agriculture Ministry has several priorities for improving water supply in the agricultural sector. These include creating small, medium-sized and large water reservoirs, delivering water from sources to fields through closed systems to reduce losses, establishing closed networks on farms and expanding the use of modern irrigation technologies.

The fifth priority, he said, is ensuring that the volume of water used by modern irrigation systems can be measured.

Mammadov noted that around 70% of Azerbaijan's water resources are formed outside the country. He added that 70% or more of the water used in Azerbaijan goes to agriculture.

"Today, we measure 30% of the water used by households and industry, but we do not directly measure how much water is used in agriculture at the field and farm level," the minister said.

According to Mammadov, the development of the relevant infrastructure will contribute to improving water supply and more efficient management of agricultural water use.