The future of water in Central Asia is about numbers. And the numbers are troubling. Consider this: the five countries in the region collectively consume approximately 127 billion cubic meters of water, with about 80 percent, or 100 billion cubic meters, used annually for agriculture. But only 50 percent of the water earmarked for agriculture is utilized effectively. This implies that half of the water does not reach the fields and is lost along the way due to the poor condition of irrigation facilities and wasteful agricultural practices. To put it succinctly, countries are flushing away vast…