WATER SUPPLY IN ROMITAN DISTRICT AND THE BUKHARA OASIS: AGRARIAN AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROCESSES IN THE LATE 19th – EARLY 20th CENTURIES
Keywords:
Romitan District, Bukhara Oasis, Zarafshan River, water supply, irrigation, agriculture, desertification, Kokishtuvon Canal, socio-economic processes, water resources.Abstract
This article examines the water supply system, agricultural practices, and socio-economic conditions of Romitan District and the Bukhara Oasis during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The study analyses the utilisation of the Zarafshan River’s water resources, water scarcity, processes of desertification, and their impact on population migration. It also explores irrigation infrastructure - including the Kokishtuvon Canal excavated on the initiative of Chorikulboy - which enabled the irrigation of nearby villages. Based on historical sources, archival materials, and oral recollections, the article highlights the significance of water supply and irrigation infrastructure in agricultural development. The findings reveal the hardships of farming in the Bukhara Oasis at the turn of the century and the socio-economic challenges arising from water shortages.
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