Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan have agreed on a summer operating schedule for the Bakhri-Tochik reservoir, aiming to secure irrigation water supplies for farmers across southern Kazakhstan during the critical growing season.

The agreement was reached during talks among Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan Nurzhan Nurzhigitov, Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan Daler Juma, and Minister of Water Resources of Uzbekistan Shavkat Khamraev, The Caspian Post reports via Kazinform.

Under the trilateral protocol signed by the three countries, the reservoir will operate according to a coordinated schedule from June through August 2026. The plan is expected to ensure stable water deliveries to agricultural areas in the Maktaaral district and Zhetysay district of Kazakhstan’s Turkistan Region.

Kazakh officials said securing irrigation water for the country’s southern regions remains under special state control, especially during the peak summer vegetation period when water demand sharply increases.

“The reached agreements are the result of constructive interaction and mutual support among Central Asian countries,” Nurzhigitov said, adding that the measures will help maintain a stable agricultural season and support domestic farmers.

The meeting also highlighted the commitment of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to deepen regional cooperation on the rational and mutually beneficial use of shared water resources - an increasingly important issue for Central Asia amid climate pressures and rising agricultural demand.

Earlier, Japan and the United Nations Development Programme launched a new initiative aimed at supporting the environmental sustainability of the Caspian Sea.