“Flow of water in Amudarya and Syrdarya may decrease by 2050” – Eldor Aripov

By 2050, the countries of Central Asia may face the problem of food security. Eldor Aripov, director of the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, announced this at a meeting of experts.

“According to experts, the rate of increase in air temperature increases every year. What can this lead to? Now we see the problem of land desertification and shrinking of glaciers in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. These glaciers are the main source of water needed for the region,” Kazinform quotes Eldor Aripov as saying.

He added that by 2050 the water of Amudarya and Syrdarya may decrease.

“Water flow in Amudarya can be reduced by 15%, and in Syrdarya - by 5%. This leads to a decrease in productivity in agriculture. According to the same estimates, by 2050, agricultural productivity may fall by 30%. This can create a food safety issue. That is, a number of problems related to ecology, climate change, and water consumption are urgent issues that require us to solve,” Eldor Aripov added.