Abstract
Agriculture, as the main sector of the regional economy, ensures effective management of water resources. The purpose is to monitor the condition and potential of the water management sector of the countries of Central Asia, identify ways of their effective use in the agrarian sector, and develop recommendations for optimizing water policy under conditions of water resource scarcity. To achieve this goal, methods of system analysis, comparative-statistical analysis, and scenario 168odelling of water management depending on climatic and socio-economic factors were applied, making it possible to identify systemic causes of water reserve deficits, compare water use indicators across the countries of the region, and assess the availability of water assets in the agrarian sphere. The Results showed that more than 85% of the water potential of Central Asia is consumed in the agro-industrial complex, with a significant portion lost due to outdated irrigation technologies, canal leakages, and the absence of accurate water consumption accounting. Water losses in irrigation networks reach 40–50%, indicating an extremely low level of water use efficiency. Conclusions — careful management of water resources is an integral condition for the development of the agro-industrial complex of Central Asian countries. Under conditions of global climate change and a constant threat of water scarcity, the search for new irrigation technologies and methods, such as drip irrigation, hydroponics, and aeroponics, becomes an important step in the expansion and modernization of agricultural production. As water reserves decline, technological solutions aimed at maintaining optimal water supply will require increasing capital investments, a high level of professional skills, rational planning, and environmental responsibility.