BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 3. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched a regional initiative aimed at enhancing the management of water and land resources across Central Asia, during the Eco Expo Central Asia 2026 exhibition in Samarkand, Trend reports via the Uzbek Committee on Ecology and Climate Change.
The initiative is being implemented by FAO with the support of Uzbekistan’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change and is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The program, entitled Central Asia Water-Land Nexus (CAWLN) for Ecosystem Restoration, Improved Natural Resource Management and Resilience Enhancement, was introduced during a two-day workshop.
CAWLN is designed to advance the sustainable management of water and land resources through an integrated Water-Land Nexus approach, which acknowledges the interdependent relationship between water utilization, land management, agricultural production, and food security.
The workshop convened representatives from FAO, government agencies across Central Asia, regional partners, project coordinators, and international experts involved in the program’s implementation.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Minister of Ecology Zhusipbek Kazbekov underscored the importance of strengthening regional cooperation on sustainable water and land management, promoting the adoption of water-saving technologies, and formulating coordinated strategies to enhance the climate resilience of Central Asia’s agri-food systems.
During the event, participants reviewed the program’s structural framework, implementation mechanisms, monitoring and reporting procedures, and identified priority areas for collaboration in ecosystem restoration, sustainable natural resource management, and climate adaptation.
Discussions focused on some of the region’s most pressing environmental challenges, including water scarcity, land degradation, soil salinization, climate change impacts, and increasing pressure on agricultural production systems.
Speakers noted that Central Asia is among the world’s most irrigation-dependent regions, making efficient water management a critical priority. Participants highlighted the need for modern irrigation technologies, upgrades to water infrastructure, and stronger governance mechanisms to ensure the sustainable use of natural resources.
The workshop also examined policy and regulatory reforms, interagency coordination, advanced monitoring systems, and the wider adoption of best practices for resource conservation.
Special attention was given to land management issues, including efforts to combat soil degradation and salinization, restore agricultural productivity, and promote climate-smart farming techniques.
During technical sessions, participants presented national and regional subprojects under the CAWLN framework, reviewed first-year implementation plans and budgets, and discussed mechanisms for cooperation among Central Asian countries and international development partners.
At the exhibition, it was noted that the launch workshop served as an important platform for coordinating regional efforts aimed at promoting sustainable resource management and supporting long-term development objectives in the water, land, and agricultural sectors across Central Asia.
