Turkmenistan, FAO Launch Project to Restore Climate-Hit Lands

The Turkmen Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have signed a new project aimed at developing a coordinated approach to restoring land resources in ecosystems severely affected by climate change across Central Asia.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the international conference Health and Nutrition in the Context of Climate Change, held on January 22 in Ashgabat. The initiative reflects growing regional concern over land degradation, desertification, and food security risks linked to climate change, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Turkmenistan has been a member of the FAO since 1995, with cooperation deepening over the years through participation in regional programs. A key milestone was the country’s involvement in the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme (FTPP) between 2009 and 2015. Early collaboration focused on improving cotton production, mechanizing harvesting processes, and providing technical support for agriculture and environmental protection.

The latest agreement follows another important step taken on January 21, when Turkmenistan and the FAO signed a separate accord on establishing a FAO representative office in the country and expanding technical assistance.

Together, these moves signal a new phase in Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the UN agency, with a stronger emphasis on climate resilience, sustainable land management, and long-term food security in one of the regions most vulnerable to environmental change.