Closing Ceremony Marks Completion of Project on Promoting Kahriz Rehabilitation for Climate Adaptation in Azerbaijan

On 17 March 2026, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mission in Azerbaijan, in partnership with the Azerbaijan State Water Resources Agency and with funding from the Sasakawa Endowment Fund, held the Closing Ceremony of the project “Promoting Kahriz Rehabilitation for Enhanced Water‑Related Climate Adaptation in Azerbaijan”.

Opening the event, Mr. Lars Johan Lönnback, Chief of Mission a.i. of IOM Azerbaijan and Sub‑regional Coordinator for the South Caucasus, highlighted the increasing pressures of climate change on Azerbaijan’s water resources. Against this backdrop, kahrizes remain a time‑tested, sustainable and decentralized water‑supply system that continues to serve communities in arid regions. Mr. Lönnback emphasized that since 2000, IOM has rehabilitated nearly 200 kahrizes, benefiting more than 30,000 households across 20 districts of Azerbaijan.

The project aimed to generate evidence to support national decision‑making. With the support of Caucasus Geo Survey and the Water Agency, IOM produced two key studies, which were presented during the event:

•  Cost‑Benefit Analysis comparing the efficiency of rehabilitating existing kahrizes versus drilling new sub‑artesian wells; and
• Kahriz Selection Methodology, offering a transparent, data‑driven approach to prioritizing rehabilitation sites.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Rashail Ismayilov, Deputy Chairman of the Amelioration Scientific Research Institute, highlighted the alignment of this work with the National Strategy on the Efficient Use of Water Resources, noting that the Strategy includes a specific activity dedicated to the rehabilitation of kahrizes.

During the discussion, participants emphasized not only the strategic importance of kahriz rehabilitation for climate adaptation, but also the need to recognize kahrizes as part of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage.

Stakeholders highlighted that kahrizes embody centuries of traditional engineering knowledge and community‑based water governance. Protecting and rehabilitating them is therefore essential not only for water security but also for safeguarding an irreplaceable cultural legacy.

The role of kankans—the traditional kahriz masters—was underscored as central to preserving this heritage. Their skills, passed down from generation to generation, remain at risk of disappearing without targeted support. The project’s earlier capacity development session in Ganja, involving students from four universities, was cited as an important step in inspiring the next generation of kahriz practitioners.‑in Ganja, involving students from four universities, was cited as an important step in inspiring the next generation of kahriz practitioners.