Uzbekistan, ICBA Collaborate on Sustainable Agriculture

Uzbekistan’s Presidential Adviser on Ecology, Aziz Abdukhakimov, has met with Dr. Tarifa Ajeif Alzaabi, Director General at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), to discuss advancing sustainable agriculture in arid and saline-prone regions.

Both sides expressed appreciation for long-standing collaboration, highlighting ICBA’s technical expertise in cultivating salt-tolerant crops and supporting climate-resilient agricultural systems, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

Abdukhakimov emphasized that Karakalpakstan remains highly vulnerable due to desertification, soil salinization, water scarcity, and the drying of the Aral Sea. Restoring degraded lands and strengthening the region’s food systems were identified as top priorities.

A key focus of the partnership is developing sustainable agricultural systems on degraded lands in Karakalpakstan. Under this initiative, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) is financing the project “Development of Sustainable Agricultural Systems in Degraded Areas of Karakalpakstan.” So far, over 1,500 farmers across seven districts have received training and seeds of 12 salt- and drought-tolerant crops. In 2025, an integrated agro-aquaculture system (IAAS) worth 1.97 billion soums was inaugurated during a visit by ADFD Director General Dr. Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi.

The meeting also covered Uzbekistan’s national ecological reforms, including the transformation of the Ministry of Ecology into the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, and the establishment of a Presidential Adviser on Ecology to strengthen environmental governance and biodiversity conservation.

Special attention was given to the creation of the Central Asian Center for Ecology and Environment Research, tasked with building a digital database for arid-region ecological data, forecasting environmental changes, and developing science-based strategies for natural resource, water, and agricultural management.

Uzbekistan also invited the Azerbaijani side to participate in the 8th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Eco Expo Central Asia-2026, scheduled for May 30-June 6, 2026, including discussions on environmental financing solutions.

The foreign delegation toured the Central Asian Center for Ecology and Environment Research, familiarizing themselves with its research infrastructure, digital ecological data initiatives, and applied studies for sustainable resource management.