ADB Commits $47 Million to Strengthen Kyrgyzstan’s Water Resilience

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will allocate $47 million to help Kyrgyzstan improve the resilience of its water resources against the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.

The announcement came during a meeting held Thursday in Bishkek, attended by Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry Nurlan Zhumayev and ADB delegation head Yasmin Siddiqi, Director of the Agriculture, Food, Nature and Rural Development Department, The Caspian Post reports, citing Kyrgyz media.

Also present was Nurlan Nabiyev, Director of the climate resilience project funded by ADB.

The parties discussed the progress of the project and the preparation of additional financing. The participants confirmed that the work is proceeding according to plan and noted the importance of effective interaction between all participants in the process.

Additional funding of US$47 million will be used to modernize nine irrigation systems in Chui, Osh, Batken and Jalal-Abad regions.

The project will:

upgrade and maintain infrastructure;

improve water resources management;

improve the quality of data collection and analysis for effective planning.

The project aims to increase the resilience of the water sector in Kyrgyzstan to risks associated with climate change and natural disasters.