Efficient water use is an element of the national culture of the Turkmen people. In ancient time, our ancestors knew how to value every drop of water and built the sophisticated irrigation systems to use moisture efficiently. Huge experience has been accumulated, which today, through the efforts of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, is enriched through widely adopting state-of-the-art technologies and managing this work. The growing wellbeing of the people is associated with the steady economic growth of the country. However, no matter how rich our water resources are, our riches required a rational and caring approach. We should learn the practices of efficient use of water resources from our ancestors. Since ancient times, a complex, but very efficient irrigation system – so called kyarizes has existed in the territory of Turkmenistan.
They say that in ancient times the foothill strip of the Kopetdag Mountains was a fabulous place where people lived peacefully, a wolf and a sheep got along side by side, and a cat and a dog played together. A clear, cold river flowed into this region from distant mountains, irrigating fields and gardens, and lush greenery covered everything around. There was plenty of bread and fruit. They say there were neither rich nor poor in those distant times. People knew no need. The water flowing from the mountain peaks gave life even to dry, barren slopes. But one summer people saw that there was less water. The one who had more power took the water. His harvest was better, and he became richer. The fields and gardens of the poor dried up and perished, then people began to grumble and demand their share of water. In response, the rich people armed their servants, placed them near the canals and ordered that the people be kept off them. “Your share of the water disappears on the way from the mountains,” they told the people. “Go and see who’s steeling it…”
