By Aytaj Shiraliyeva

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 1. The Asian
Development Bank is ready to support Azerbaijan in water resource
management and irrigation modernization, the director of the ADB
Representative Office in Azerbaijan, Sunniya Durrani-Jamal, said at
the Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW2025), Trend reports

She noted that Azerbaijan can count on ADB support in
implementing its national water resources strategy, modernizing
irrigation infrastructure, and introducing artificial intelligence
technologies for effective data management.

According to Durrani-Jamal, the starting point for securing
water resources, especially for a country located in the lower
reaches of a river, is to conduct a risk assessment based on
satellite monitoring data. This approach makes it possible to
identify water availability in different geographical areas and
determine “hot spots” — areas with an increased risk of flooding,
drought, or water shortages.

“Sometimes the causes of water problems are related not only to
climate, but also to politics,” noted the ADB representative. “For
example, one South Asian country had a subsidy policy that led to
excessive groundwater extraction. This requires detailed diagnosis
and adjustment of approaches.”

Following a risk assessment, the ADB advises countries on
integrated water resources management, considers solutions based on
nature-based approaches, and explores possible financial and
non-financial support instruments.

She noted that for Azerbaijan, the bank plans to focus on
assisting in the implementation of the national water strategy,
modernizing irrigation infrastructure, developing a roadmap for the
introduction of artificial intelligence for the effective use of
data, and working with farmers, who are the end users of irrigation
systems and seeds.