Azizbek Hamraliev is a third-generation horticulture producer from Kuvasay, Ferghana. He cultivates fruits and vegetables on his family-owned 25-hectare farm.

Like most of Uzbekistan’s fertile Fergana Valley, Azizbek’s village receives water from the Syrdarya River. A canal from the Syrdarya feeds three villages before it gets to Qo’chqorchi, home to 48 orchards, including Azizbek’s.

“Still, until five years ago, there was always enough water in the canal. But each year it gets drier, and more of our water supply is used by villages upstream,” he said.

Last year, Azizbek would wait up to three days for water. This year, there were times he waited eight days. “My trees cannot survive that long without water.” 

Azizbek remembers his father and neighbors digging wells around 10 meters deep to access water. Now, farmers are digging 16-18 meters to get to the water. The most recent well dug in his village is 43 meters deep. To adequately water his orchard using furrow irrigation, he would need to dig 14 wells.

USAID and Azizbek co-invested $20,000 in a new system -- including equipment and services -- which Azizbek controls using his smartphone. “Without even being on the field, I can adjust the irrigation rate to the daily weather conditions,” he explains.

Drip irrigation also allows for better application of fertilizers and pesticides. “Previously, up to 70 percent of the fertilizers would end up in runoff. Now 100 percent of our inputs are being applied directly to the right crops,” Azizbek said. With the money saved by reducing his required water resources, inputs, and labor, he is confident he will earn back his investment.

Azizbek’s drip irrigation project is one of three demonstration sites supported by USAID in Uzbekistan, enabling farmers and drip irrigation service providers to promote the benefits of drip irrigation to neighboring farmers.

The Government of Uzbekistan is offering farmers a subsidy of $600/hectare to install drip irrigation systems – approximately 20 percent of the cost of a 15-hectare system like Azizbek’s.

Azizbek’s orchard was chosen for this project because he is an innovator and a trusted leader in his community.

“For years, my father has taught our neighbors what he calls the ‘American method’ of pruning,” a technique he learned on a USAID-supported Horticulture Exchange Program visit to California in 2014. 

Azizbek and his family already provide pre-cooling, consolidation, and export services to their community. This year, they are working towards uniting eight neighboring farmers into a cooperative to improve consolidation of high-quality fruits from their village and increase their collective bargaining power.

“I learned the importance of sharing information and techniques with our neighbors from my father. By working together, we can achieve more,” Azizbek explains.

“My grandfather, I, and now my sons have all grown fruits on this land,” says Azizbek’s father Alijon. “I am proud of my son for being brave enough to go beyond our traditional ways of farming and adopting new technologies. His children will reap the fruit of his labor.” 

Azizbek is one of 280 producers supported by USAID in Uzbekistan. USAID is helping producers in regions experiencing persistent water shortages to connect with local companies offering climate smart agricultural solutions such as drip irrigation. With USAID’s support, approximately 100 hectares of agricultural land in Uzbekistan are irrigated using new drip systems. These systems provide farmers with a consistent, reliable source of water and reduce crop loss due to weather shocks or long-term declining water resources. Co-investing in drip irrigation systems is one of the many ways USAID is supporting Uzbek farmers’ journey to self-reliance.