BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 19. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan are slated to benefit from a grant of $4.437 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, a source at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) told Trend.
This financial support is designated for the Strengthening Integrated Water Management in the Syr Darya and Narin River Basins projects.
This funding is an essential component of the FAO-led Central Asia Water and Land Nexus (CAWLN) program, which is sponsored by the GEF Trust Fund. The GEF has committed to financing projects worth $26.007 million across Central Asia as part of this effort. The initiative will end on August 31, 2025, with a total co-financing of $335.504 million.
The overarching objective of the CAWLN program is multifaceted, aiming to rehabilitate 5,350 hectares of land and ecosystems and implement enhanced practices across 1.329 million hectares of landscapes.
Furthermore, it seeks to curtail greenhouse gas emissions by a substantial 11.118 million tons and foster cooperative management of shared ecosystems in Central Asian countries. The program's reach is anticipated to directly impact 487,000 individuals, with a balanced representation of 252,000 men and 235,000 women.
GEF highlights that Central Asia boasts intricate river systems, notably the Amu Darya Basin (encompassing Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and the Syr Darya Basin (spanning Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan). These basins are pivotal water sources, sustaining approximately 60 million people, agricultural endeavors, energy production, and a diverse array of ecosystems and livelihoods. Nevertheless, they grapple with challenges including excessive water utilization, detrimental land practices, and resource depletion. The CAWLN program endeavors to tackle these issues head-on by championing water-land nexus approaches, particularly in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya basins.
Comprising seven distinct projects, including individual endeavors in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, CAWLN aims to bolster agricultural practices and natural resource management. These initiatives will address critical issues such as deforestation, land degradation, and biodiversity loss. Additionally, a regional project is earmarked to facilitate coordination and knowledge exchange across the basins.
Although Tajikistan won't have its own individual project, the CAWLN program will work with the GEF Tajikistan Ecosystem Restoration and Resilient Agriculture project to collaborate and achieve a greater impact.