Application of drip irrigation for cotton farming in Central Asia: The case of Turkmenistan

The main purpose of this study is to determine the optimum water consumption for achieving water savings and obtaining good yields in cotton production, which has been expanding in Central Asia and Turkmenistan since the 1960s. In the last few decades, water resources in the region have been difficult to access, due to the expansion of agricultural activity and population growth. The oscillation of the amount of water released from dams of the Amudarya River to obtain energy for the upper countries in the winter season has been causing crises in countries of Central Asia. An experiment was carried out in an agricultural field at a cotton research centre in the Yolöten district of Turkmenistan. The experiment led to the observation that it is possible to achieve higher efficiency and lower water consumption in cotton production. At the same time, the water savings that can be achieved as a result of using the drip irrigation method in cotton production throughout the country have been calculated. The calculations have provided the basis for recommending irrigation as a solution to the problems in question.