(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 10. Kyrgyzstan has launched the construction of a $23.1 million concrete canvas plant aimed at strengthening the country's water and food security, Trend reports via the Ministry of Agriculture.

The capsule-laying ceremony took place on October 10 with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Bakyt Torobaev. The project is being implemented through a partnership between the Cabinet of Ministers and the international company United Concrete Canvas.

According to the minister, the initiative will help localize production, reduce dependence on imports, create new jobs, and expand export opportunities.

“There are more than 30,000 kilometers of canals in the country, many of which require major repairs. Our goal is to modernize irrigation systems, reduce water loss, and bring 37,000 hectares of new land into cultivation,” Torobaev said.

The plant's first production line, with a capacity of 7 million square meters per year, is expected to be commissioned in 2027. A second line with similar capacity will follow five years later. About 60 percent of output will be used domestically, while 40 percent will be exported.

The new material will increase the durability of canals to up to 100 years and improve overall water use efficiency. The project is part of Kyrgyzstan's irrigation development program through 2030, which aims to bring 36,900 hectares of new irrigated land into use.

United Concrete Canvas is a company that exclusively distributes Concrete Canvas®, a revolutionary Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mat (GCCM), and provides full project support for its installation across the CIS region. Concrete Canvas is a flexible, fabric-like material filled with dry concrete that hardens when hydrated, creating a thin, durable, and waterproof concrete layer for applications like erosion control, slope protection, and ditch lining.

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