Cotton, Water, Salts and Soums

"Cotton, Water, Salts and Soums" is a specialized book that summarizes the results of a long-term research project on land and water use in the irrigated areas of the Aral Sea basin. By employing an interdisciplinary approach, it combines natural and social sciences to shed light on the challenges of economic transformation affecting the use of land, water, and biological resources. The focus is on the Khorezm region in Uzbekistan, located along the Amudarya River and at the heart of Central Asia. The book provides a detailed analysis of the biophysical environment as well as the social and institutional aspects that shape land and water use. It presents options and tools for improving land and water management and for reforming the economic system, based on agronomic, hydrological, economic, and social studies, as well as modeling. The insights gained are relevant not only for Uzbekistan but also for other transition countries and irrigated arid regions worldwide.