In the face of a changing climate and growing water scarcity, regions like Kashkadarya, Uzbekistan, are turning to innovative digital solutions to strengthen their resilience. This story is about one such initiative, the NEXAR System, and its journey towards adoption and impact.
A Vision for Water Resilience in Central Asia
NEXAR, or the Next-Generation Water Monitoring System for Arid Zones, is a digital tool designed to address the challenges of data scarcity and fragmentation in water management. Developed by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) with support from the CGIAR Scaling for Impact Program, NEXAR integrates diverse data sources, from satellite observations to agricultural indicators, into a unified platform.
Co-Designing for Impact
The NEXAR system was co-designed in 2024 with the active involvement of Uzbekistan's Ministry of Water Resources and the Amu-Kashkadarya Basin Irrigation Systems Administration (BISA). In 2025, IWMI developed a prototype, which was piloted in the Kashkadarya Region. The goal was to create a tool that could provide actionable insights across the water-energy-food nexus, helping stakeholders track seasonal water availability, drought stress, and water productivity.
From Prototype to Practice: Overcoming Challenges
A two-day workshop held in November 2025 brought together stakeholders from government, research, and development sectors to validate and chart the adoption and scaling of NEXAR. The workshop emphasized the need to move beyond the prototype phase, ensuring the system could be institutionalized within existing governance structures.
Opening remarks highlighted the importance of joint ownership and durable partnerships. A live demonstration of the NEXAR prototype allowed participants to explore its modules and provide feedback on data clarity, user navigation, and integration with local planning workflows.
Akbar Karimov, Head of the Water Resources, Hydrometry, and Dispatch Service Department at BISA, emphasized the system's potential: "Once we are fully connected, we will be able to plan and implement targeted actions and even define a clear roadmap for the coming years. Having all the necessary data in one place will allow us to make decisions more efficiently."
A'zam Azimov, Chief Hydrometrist at BISA, echoed the sentiment: "This system is essential, and we need to develop it fully. It will provide reliable information for our work and serve as a valuable knowledge base for new specialists."
Learning, Reflection, and Scaling Strategy
Day one of the workshop focused on understanding the impacts of climate change on water resources, snow cover, and glaciers in Central Asia. Participants also viewed the FCDO documentary "Six Inches of Soil," which showcased sustainable land and water management practices relevant to the regional context.
Day two shifted the focus to scaling strategy and institutional integration. Through structured sessions and group work, participants identified pathways for transitioning NEXAR from a pilot to an operational system. There was a strong consensus that scaling should be phased and pilot-based, starting with one canal and gradually expanding to basin and national levels.
Akbar Karimov emphasized the importance of a step-by-step approach: "If the system delivers results starting with one canal, we can develop it further, demonstrating its effectiveness and paving the way for national expansion."
A'zam Azimov added: "This system should be adapted to all regions, becoming a national platform for effective comparison and analysis between provinces."
Building Partnerships for Impact
Beyond technical validation, the workshop strengthened collaboration among ministries, basin authorities, research institutes, CGIAR centers, and development partners. This shared understanding of priorities and institutional roles is crucial for mobilizing resources and mainstreaming digital water governance in Uzbekistan.
The workshop concluded with a clear plan of action, including refining the NEXAR interface based on user feedback, drafting a joint scaling roadmap, developing a training program, and initiating discussions on multi-partner resource mobilization.
A Shared Platform for Resilience
The validation workshop confirmed that NEXAR is ready to move beyond the prototype stage. Partners expressed strong institutional interest and technical readiness for scaling. NEXAR has the potential to become more than just a digital innovation; it can be a shared platform for coordinated water governance, partnership-building, and climate resilience, not just in Uzbekistan but across the entire Central Asian region.
And this is where the story of NEXAR's impact truly begins. What do you think? Could NEXAR's approach be a model for other regions facing similar water challenges?
