Kazakhstan has launched a new initiative to restore the ecosystem of the dried Aral Sea bed using innovative drone technology.
On October 29, the project “Improving the Ecosystem of the Aral Seabed” was officially launched by Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University, the University of California, Berkeley, the Kazakh Directorate of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS), and the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation, The Caspian Post reports, citing The Times of Central Asia.
The initiative will employ UC Berkeley’s cutting-edge E-seed technology, which uses drones to distribute self-burying seeds encased in biodegradable material. This aerial seeding approach is designed to accelerate vegetation growth, boost plant survival rates, and lower reforestation costs, contributing to the rehabilitation of one of Central Asia’s most fragile ecosystems.
Once the world’s fourth-largest inland sea, the Aral Sea covered 68,000 square kilometers across Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Beginning in the 1960s, large-scale irrigation projects diverted water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers to support cotton farming. By 2007, the sea had shrunk to just 10% of its original size.
Today, the Aral Sea is a symbol of one of the world’s most severe environmental disasters. Salt-laden dust from the exposed seabed, estimated in the tens of billions of tons, is carried by wind as far as the Arctic and the Himalayas. This toxic dust, infused with pesticides and heavy metals, contaminates soil, water, and air, threatening regional public health and food security.
“The Aral Sea is a wound on the planet that cannot be ignored. We are launching a project that will create a barrier against salt and toxic dust, improve human health, and contribute to the future of the entire Earth,” said Ainur Karbozova, Director of the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation. “The uniqueness of this technology is that it can be applied worldwide from restoring burned-out forests to transforming deserts into green oases.”
A test planting on a one-hectare site is planned for March-April 2026. In 2027, the second phase will expand the pilot to 50 hectares.
“The use of the innovative E-seed technology will strengthen the soil structure, reduce dust and salt emissions, and ultimately increase the region’s biodiversity,” said Rakhat Kurmanbayev, Associate Professor at Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University. “By 2040, we plan to stabilize the ecosystem over at least 50 square kilometers. The project will reduce air temperatures by 1-2°C and improve the microclimate.”
The initiative aligns with broader environmental goals outlined under Kazakhstan’s 2024-2026 chairmanship of IFAS, during which large-scale afforestation efforts aim to green more than 1 million hectares of the Aral seabed.
