This article presents scientific research on the irrigation of sweet sorghum using clean and wastewater in the sharply continental climate, water scarcity, and complex agroecological conditions of the Kazakhstan-Aral region.
Chronic water scarcity has become a pressing global issue. It is particularly crucial to increase the share of technical crops with low water consumption and improve irrigation methods in arid and semi-arid, desert and semi-desert areas such as the Kyzylorda region.
According to global forecasts of water resources, the flow of transboundary rivers may decrease by 40% by 2030. As a result of increasing pressure on water resources and the reduction of their sustainable reserves, a water deficit of 14 billion m³ is expected by 2030, and by 2050, the deficit may reach 20 billion m³ (70% of water resource demand).
Long-term studies confirm that water scarcity remains a critical issue in the Kazakhstan-Aral region, which is under the focus of the global community. For instance, while 28,701 million m³ of water flowed into the Shardara Reservoir annually in 1993-1994, this volume decreased to 9420 million m³ in 2021-2022, indicating a threefold reduction in the volume of vital water resources.
The scientific and practical value of our research is significant, as many scientists, predictive studies, and competent authorities have indicated that water scarcity in the Kazakhstan-Aral region will increase annually. To maximize the efficient use of water resources in agriculture, recent years have seen studies on effective technologies for utilizing groundwater, collector-drainage water, and, most recently, wastewater for irrigating agricultural crops. A review of scientific literature from both domestic and international researchers highlights that wastewater usage is the most effective method for achieving stable yields of technical crops under water-scarce conditions.
The irrigated agriculture system, which is fully based on large rice plantations, requires transformation in the Kyzylorda region.