Government Resolution No. 137 validating the Program for improving the melioration status of irrigated agricultural lands of for 2024-2028.

The Program is adopted in line with national legislation on strategic planning and aims to improve soil and water conditions on irrigated land, thereby increasing agricultural productivity and preventing land degradation. It focuses on restoring drainage systems, improving water management, and reducing the risk of irrigated land being withdrawn from agricultural use.
The Program is based on an extensive analysis showing that a significant share of the country’s irrigated land suffers from rising groundwater levels, soil salinization, and deteriorating drainage infrastructure. Key problems identified include insufficient maintenance of collector-drainage networks, outdated melioration equipment, poor condition of pumping stations and vertical wells, and limited financial resources. Despite earlier efforts and investments that improved meliorative conditions on large areas, thousands of hectares still remain in unsatisfactory condition, requiring systematic and large-scale intervention to stabilize water–salt balance and land productivity.
Implementation of the Program is planned in three stages from 2024 to 2028 and will be financed through a combination of national and local budgets, water service fees, and investment projects. The total planned funding exceeds 100 million somoni and targets the improvement of meliorative conditions on more than 81,000 hectares of irrigated land. The Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation is responsible for implementation, monitoring, and reporting, with the expectation that the Program will lead to better groundwater regulation, reduced soil salinity, and sustained agricultural use of irrigated land across the country.