It can then be sold freely, exchanged, transferred by right of succession, leased or used as mortgage. A land improvement and irrigation law has also been adopted. This law establishes the legal basis of activities on land improvement and irrigation under the new landownership conditions and provides for the transition to paid water use. The rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage systems to ensure the sustainability of the irrigation subsector is a priority for the near future. Major policy changes in landownership and irrigation management are expected to play an important role in improving irrigation performance.
Erosion control is seen as another major issue.
Effective measures to combat water erosion are the creation of a field protecting wood belt, as well as wood belts along the banks of large rivers, canals and reservoirs. International issues of critical importance are the sharing and joint management of the Kura and Araks rivers and of the Caspian Sea to prevent further pollution and ensure sustainable development of their resources. Main sources of information Aliyev, R.O. 1991. Hydraulic and land improvement constructions in conditions of pre-mountain plains. Aliyev, A., Mirzakhanov, A., Mamedov, S., Mamedov, A. 1986.