BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 18. Turkmenistan is set to receive a grant of $3.321 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund to support the Catalyzing the Nature-Positive Transformation of the Agricultural Sector in Turkmenistan towards Enhanced Resilience to Climate Change project, a source at the GEF told Trend.
According to the GEF, this project aims to fortify the resilience of land and water systems in Lebap province while promoting sustainable farming practices to address the challenges posed by climate change and environmental degradation.
The goal is to create a farming environment capable of withstanding climate shocks, ensuring food security, and contributing to global initiatives like Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) and Integrated Water Management (IWM), while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Employing a holistic approach that prioritizes the management of both land and water resources, the project closely aligns with Turkmenistan's objectives for sustainable development, climate action, and biodiversity conservation. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of community involvement, particularly the empowerment of women, to ensure equitable benefits for all stakeholders.
In addition to this initiative, Turkmenistan also plays a pivotal role in the regional GEF project titled Strengthening Integrated Water Management in the Amu Darya, Zarafshon, and Panj River Basins, which involves Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The GEF grant allocated to the participating countries for this project amounts to $5.354 million.
Furthermore, Turkmenistan is also a part of the Coordinated Approach for Land Restoration in Vulnerable Ecosystems of Central Asia, with a GEF grant to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan amounting to $1.784 million.
GEF is a coalition aimed at combating biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution while fostering the health of both land and ocean ecosystems. Through its financial support, the GEF empowers developing nations to tackle intricate environmental issues and make strides towards global sustainability objectives.