In Tashkent in March, the spring atmosphere gradually intensifies. In the conference room of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of Uzbekistan, a future dialogue on "water" is underway. Faced with the dual pressures of climate change and agricultural development, Uyghur Deputy Minister Ilzat Kasimov and Chinese LEO Group Chairman Wang Xianzhun held hands tightly. The goal of both sides is highly consistent: to upgrade Uzbekistan's aging water resources lifeline with Chinese technology and capital, so that every drop of water can flow into farmland more efficiently.

This is not only a business negotiation, but also a crucial conclusion for Uzbekistan to implement the "Uzbe-2030" national strategy. The country plans to increase irrigation efficiency from 0.63 to 0.73 by 2030 and expand the water-saving irrigation area to 2 million hectares. To achieve this grand blueprint, there is an urgent need for global pump industry giants like LEO to enter the market.

Old system faces new challenges

Uzbekistan is known as the "Platinum Country" (cotton) and agriculture is its economic pillar. But for a long time, the outdated irrigation system has become the biggest weakness. Channel leakage, high energy consumption of pumping stations, and serious waste of water resources have constrained the sustainable development of agriculture.

According to the development plan of water conservancy in Ukraine, the efficiency of the national irrigation system is currently low, and a large number of farmlands are facing the risk of insufficient water supply. During the meeting, Deputy Minister Kasimov bluntly stated that upgrading pump stations and water supply networks is the top priority, and it is necessary to reduce water loss through technological means to ensure stable water use for farmers. This is also the area where LEO Group excels - the group's products have served over 160 countries worldwide and have mature experience in long-distance water transportation and energy conservation.

Not just selling pumps

This cooperation breaks away from the simple equipment export model and adopts a deeper "technology+industry" integration strategy.

PPP model for infrastructure construction: Both parties focused on exploring the construction of modern pumping stations through public-private partnership (PPP) model. This can not only alleviate the financial pressure on the Ukrainian government, but also introduce LEO Group's advanced water resource management system, achieving a leap from "pumping water" to "smart water", reducing system energy consumption, and ensuring stable crop production.

Localized manufacturing and research and development: One major highlight of the cooperation is the plan to establish an engineering technology park. This is not just about building factories, but also about establishing research and development centers, supply chains, and talent development systems in Uzbekistan. LEO Group will assist Ukraine in developing its local pump manufacturing industry, stimulate technological innovation, create employment opportunities for the local area, and reduce equipment costs, truly achieving the goal of 'teaching people how to fish'.

Countdown to 2030 Goals

This cooperation closely aligns with the "Uzbekistani-2020" strategy. This strategy prioritizes modernization of irrigation and efficient water use, setting hard targets such as reducing saline alkali land area, lowering pump station electricity consumption, and promoting digital water management.

The entry of LEO Group provides acceleration for the achievement of these goals. Its efficient pump technology can directly help Wufang achieve the goal of 25% energy saving, and the introduction of an intelligent water management system coincides with Wuguo's plan to promote "intelligent water" measurement devices.

At the end of the meeting, both sides reiterated their joint commitment to improving water resource management, strengthening irrigation systems, and expanding industrial cooperation. For farmers in Uzbekistan, this means that future cultivation will be more secure; For China and Ukraine, this is another example of using Chinese technology to solve global water challenges on the path of building a community with a shared future for mankind.Editor/Yang Meiling