Within the framework of its Water Resources Management Capacity Building Programme (Water-CaB), SESRIC, the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) jointly organised a Workshop on “Enhancing Water Resources for Sustainable Food Security” on 11 March 2026.

The workshop brought together 16 experts and professionals from relevant institutions of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The activity featured a presentation delivered by Dr. Davron ISHNAZAROV, Researcher at SESRIC, addressing the current situation and challenges related to sustainable water management and agricultural water efficiency in the OIC countries. The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI) of Türkiye also presented their framework as well as the experiences of Türkiye in water resources management and irrigation modernization.

During the discussions, participants highlighted that the imbalance between water availability, growing food production needs, and increasing climate pressures represents one of the most critical challenges. Rising drought frequency, erratic rainfall patterns, and climate variability were also identified as major risks affecting agricultural productivity and water security.

Participants emphasised the importance of investing in modern irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, promoting green farming practices, and strengthening early warning systems for water-related risks such as floods and droughts. The discussions also underscored the growing role of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in supporting evidence-based policymaking, improving irrigation planning, and enabling more efficient water use in agriculture.

The presentations of the workshop are available here.

SESRIC launched the Water Resources Management Capacity Building Programme (Water-CaB) in 2015, with the aim of enhancing capacities of human resources in the OIC Member Countries in the domain of water. For more details about SESRIC Water Resources Management Capacity Building Programme (Water-CaB) and its activities, please visit: https://www.sesric.org/cbp-water.php.

In addition, since 2020, SESRIC has been hosting and managing the “OIC Portal on Water Resources” with a view to providing a dedicated platform for OIC Member Countries to share their best practices, experiences, and success stories in the field of water resources management. The portal facilitates the exchange of information on national initiatives, innovative approaches, and practical solutions addressing water challenges. Through this platform, Member Countries are encouraged to highlight their achievements and benefit from each other’s experiences. In this regard, the portal contributes to strengthening knowledge sharing and promoting cooperation among OIC Member Countries in the domain of water. For more details about the OIC Portal on Water Resources, please visit: https://oicwater.sesric.org/.

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