Alisher Navo’i Tashkent State University of the Uzbek Language and Literature
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TSUULL DELIVERED A PUBLIC TALK TITLED “BEHAVIORAL GAMES TO EXPLORE WATER-SAVING TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN UZBEKISTAN”, 13 DECEMBER

On December 13, 2024, Anton Liutin, a 4th-year PhD student in Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, delivered an engaging public lecture at the TSUULL International Office titled “Behavioral games to explore water-saving technology adoption in Uzbekistan.” The session, part of the ongoing #TSUULLTalks series, was attended by Bachelor students and focused on sustainable water use in agricultural communities and the role of environmental consciousness in shaping long-term solutions.
Drawing from his research on water-sharing rules in Uzbekistan and the Colorado River Basin in the United States, Anton introduced participants to interactive behavioral game models that simulate decision-making in water allocation. These games illustrated how scarcity, infrastructure, and social dynamics influence whether farmers and communities adopt water-saving technologies.
During the discussion, students examined the current state of water resources in Central Asia, with particular emphasis on Uzbekistan’s agricultural sector — the largest consumer of the country’s freshwater. Together, they analyzed the root causes of water scarcity, including:
• Climate change and its impact on seasonal water flows;
• Inefficient irrigation systems leading to excessive water loss;
• Overuse of water in agriculture, particularly for water-intensive crops like cotton and rice.

Special attention was given to alternative approaches that could transform water usage in the agricultural sector. These included:
• Implementing drip irrigation and other precision irrigation techniques;
• Introducing modern water-saving technologies;
• Shifting to less water-intensive crops better suited to the region’s arid climate.
Students also discussed the policy and societal dimensions of sustainable water management — from raising public awareness about responsible water use, to creating incentive systems for farmers, to promoting cross-border cooperation between Central Asian states for shared water resources. The conversation emphasized that effective solutions require not just technological innovation, but also community engagement, political will, and long-term strategic planning.
The event concluded with Anton encouraging participants to see themselves as future leaders and change-makers in environmental sustainability, noting that “water is not only an economic resource, but also a foundation for life, culture, and peace in our region.”

 

Area: Education, Communication, water-saving technologies, irrigation, sustainable water use in agricultural communities.  
Credit: TSUULL Press Centre