Post-Soviet changes in cropping practices in the irrigated drylands of the Aral Sea basin

Abstract Water withdrawals for irrigated crop production constitute the largest source of freshwater consumption on Earth. Monitoring dynamics cultivation is crucial tracking water consumption, particularly in water-scarce areas. We analyzed changes water-dependent 650 000 km 2 Central Asian drylands, including entire basin Amu Darya river, once tributary to Aral Sea before large-scale irrigation projects grossly reduced amount reaching river delta. used Landsat time series map overall cropland extent, dry season cropping, and cropping frequency croplands annually from 1987 2019. scrutinized emblematic change processes six localities discern underlying causes these changes. Our unbiased area estimates reveal that between 1988 2019, declined by 1.34 million hectares (Mha), while wet double increased 0.64 Mha 0.83 Mha, respectively. These results show extent region remained stable, higher harvested area. The observed changes’ effect resource use remains elusive: Following collapse Soviet Union, declining demand while, more recently, increasing raised consumption. analysis provides first fine-scale post-Soviet practices areas Asia. maps are openly available can support future assessments land-system trajectories and, coupled with evapotranspiration estimates,