Environment - The Times Of Central Asia

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Water Crisis

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Launch Study to Revise Irrigation Regimes in Syr Darya River Basin

With grant funding from the French Development Agency (AFD), Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have launched a joint initiative to revise irrigation regimes in the Syr Darya River basin. The project, coordinated by the Executive Committee of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, aims to optimize agricultural water use and improve environmental outcomes, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. In Kazakhstan, the study covers 550,000 hectares of irrigated farmland in the Turkestan Region and 254,000 hectares in the Kyzylorda Region. Ground-level measurements are underway alongside satellite-based remote sensing to collect precise and comprehensive data. The findings will inform updated irrigation schedules and help increase crop yields, reduce soil salinization and land degradation, and enhance water-use efficiency across the Syr Darya River basin. The project involves both the Kazakh Research Institute of Water Management and Uzbekistan’s Scientific Information Center of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination (ICWC) of Central Asian countries. Completion is scheduled for 2026. Talgat Momyshev, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, noted that the Aral-Syr Darya basin supplies water to over 35% of Kazakhstan’s irrigated land, with 98% of withdrawals going to agriculture. He emphasized the urgency of revising hydro modular zoning, which hasn’t been updated in four decades. “The existing zoning does not account for major changes in climate, soil conditions, and land reclamation status over the past 40 years. A revision is essential,” he said. The Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers are vital for irrigating agricultural land throughout Central Asia. At a November meeting in Ashgabat, ICWC members from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan approved new water distribution quotas for the non-growing season from October 1, 2025, to April 1, 2026. During the non-growing season, water is stored in reservoirs to meet irrigation needs for the following spring and summer. For the Syr Darya River, the total withdrawal quota for this period has been set at 4.219 billion cubic meters, allocated as follows: Uzbekistan: 3.347 billion m³ Kazakhstan: 460 million m³ (via the Dustlik Canal) Tajikistan: 365 million m³ Kyrgyzstan: 47 million m³ In the 2025 growing season, actual usage by country was as follows: Kazakhstan: 644 million m³ (out of a 909 million m³ quota) Uzbekistan: 7.012 billion m³ (of 8.8 billion m³) Tajikistan: 1.454 billion m³ (of 1.9 billion m³) Kyrgyzstan: 191 million m³ (of 270 million m³) The revision effort underscores growing regional cooperation around sustainable water management in one of Central Asia’s most critical river basins.

Wildlife

Kazakhstan to Permit Limited Saiga Horn Exports Under Strict Controls

Kazakhstan plans to begin limited and strictly regulated exports of saiga antelope horns, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, as reported by Nege.Aqsha. Minister of Ecology Yerlan Nysanbayev emphasized that unrestricted trade is not under consideration. He stated that exports will be allowed only under rigorous regulation, with restrictions on both volume and export mechanisms. A three-year quota system is expected to be implemented. A critical condition for authorizing exports is the establishment of a traceability system. Kazakhstan aims to integrate its national tracking database with China’s, enabling the monitoring of saiga horn derivatives from the point of harvest to final processing. Nysanbayev noted that this system has been under development since 2023. All harvested saiga horns are currently microchipped and individually registered to minimize the risk of illegal trafficking. The legal basis for these potential exports stems from a decision at the 20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), held in Samarkand from November 24 to December 5. While this decision does not trigger automatic exports, it provides Kazakhstan with a legal framework to manage regulated trade in accordance with international agreements. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Ecology has finalized a national roadmap for managing the saiga population. As of May 2025, Deputy Minister of Ecology Nurken Shabiev confirmed the roadmap's completion, although the accompanying biological justification was still under preparation. “As many as they are ready to process will be seized to prevent a repeat of last year's experience, when there was damage in some places,” a ministry spokesperson said. Between July and November 2025, approximately 196,000 saigas were culled in Kazakhstan, with the carcasses transferred to local processing facilities. Kazakhstan is home to three main saiga populations, Betpakdala, Ural, and Ustyurt which together account for more than 90% of the global saiga population. As of March 2025, the total population in Kazakhstan stood at 4.1 million, a dramatic increase from the historical high of 1.2 million during the Kazakh SSR period. The saiga antelope has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2002. A nationwide moratorium on hunting and trade in saiga parts remained in effect until 2024. However, the sharp population increase led authorities to transition from a blanket ban to a model of regulated harvesting. The renewed interest in saiga horn exports is also driven by persistent demand in traditional Chinese medicine, where the antlers are highly valued.

Forests

Kyrgyzstan to Launch State Nurseries as Part of National Afforestation Campaign

Four institutions in Kyrgyzstan have been awarded a total of $534,000 in grant funding to establish and develop state-owned nurseries for growing tree saplings, as part of a nationwide effort to restore forests, improve sapling quality, and support environmental sustainability. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, the funding was allocated through a competitive selection process to Osh Forestry, Chon-Kemin State Nature Park, Kara-Kulja Forestry, and the Kyrgyz National Agrarian University. Applicants were required to submit a business plan and have access to at least five hectares of land to qualify. The grants were approved by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), which serves as the project's donor. The Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry stated that the new nurseries will have the capacity to produce up to 2 million saplings annually. These will include nut, fruit, and conifer species and serve as a stable supply of planting material for various regions across the country. “The establishment of modern nurseries is not just an investment in reforestation and environmental health. It is a step toward ecosystem restoration and helping rural communities adapt to climate change,” said First Deputy Minister Janybek Kerimaliev. The nursery initiative is part of Kyrgyzstan’s broader “Jashyl Muras” (Green Heritage) campaign, launched in March 2022 by President Sadyr Japarov. The national program targets the planting of 5 to 6 million saplings annually. In 2024, more than 8.1 million saplings were planted across the country under the program, according to official figures.

Waste Recycling

Kazakhstan Boosts Solid Waste Recycling and Environmental Oversight

Kazakhstan is steadily increasing its municipal waste recycling rate, in line with national efforts to transition to a circular economy. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the recycling rate for newly generated solid waste rose to 28.6% in 2025, up from 25.8% the previous year. The country generates more than 4.5 million tons of municipal waste annually. To accelerate recycling efforts, the government is deploying a preferential financing mechanism funded by waste collection fees. In 2025, 63 waste management projects were approved, with 22 already financed at a total of approximately $174 million. The overall program allocates more than $360 million to modernize waste collection fleets and develop sorting and recycling infrastructure. Authorities expect these investments to push the solid waste recycling rate to 40% by 2030. Efforts to eliminate unauthorized landfills are also intensifying. Satellite monitoring identified 3,827 illegal dumps in 2025, of which 91% or 3,464 sites were removed. Environmental and law enforcement agencies recorded over 3,000 environmental violations during joint inspections. Infrastructure development remains central to Kazakhstan’s waste strategy. Construction is planned for three waste incineration plants in Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent, backed by investment agreements worth approximately $570 million. The facilities are expected to be completed within two to three years. Kazakhstan’s environmental initiatives are closely tied to international climate commitments. As a signatory to the Paris Agreement and a participant in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, the country aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% from 1990 levels by 2030. Its Updated National Contribution sets a more ambitious target of a 17% reduction by 2035. By the end of 2025, regulatory emissions from the country's largest enterprises are projected to fall by 148,000 tons, or 7.2%, compared to 2022. Transparency has improved through automated monitoring systems, 74 of the 78 installed systems now transmit real-time air pollution data. Ecosystem restoration remains a national priority. Between 2021 and 2025, 18.1 million trees were planted in populated areas, exceeding initial targets. Under the broader goal of planting 2 billion seedlings, 1.5 billion have been planted over the past five years, with 208 million more planned for 2026. On the dried seabed of the Aral Sea, forest reclamation has been carried out across more than 920,000 hectares. The Caspian region is another focus area. A new Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of the Caspian Sea has been established by presidential initiative, and Kazakhstan is working with neighboring countries to develop an intergovernmental program for water conservation. The country has also proposed the creation of a UN agency for global water resource management.

Glacier Monitoring

ADB Approves $3M for Glacier Monitoring in Tajikistan

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to enhance Tajikistan’s glacier monitoring and natural disaster warning capabilities. The initiative aims to reduce risks linked to accelerated snow and ice melt, particularly in the country’s mountainous regions, and improve public safety. The grant is financed by the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Sustainable Asia and the Pacific (JFSB), which is supported by the Government of Japan through the ADB. Ko Sakamoto, ADB’s Permanent Representative in Tajikistan, emphasized the project's importance for the country. “Glaciers and snow are important for water supply, agriculture, and hydropower, but their rapid melting caused by extreme weather events can trigger devastating floods, avalanches, and other disasters,” he said. Sakamoto noted that the initiative will provide Tajikistan with modern tools for forecasting and responding to climate-related threats. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2029, with most activities to be implemented in high-risk areas of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. The Hydrometeorological Agency has been designated as the project’s executive body. Among the key components is the creation of a unified digital data system to improve the accuracy and timeliness of glacier and snow cover monitoring. The system will enhance the collection, storage, and analysis of data critical for disaster risk assessment. To manage the new infrastructure, technical specialists from the Hydrometeorological Agency will receive training in modern monitoring and data management methods. The project also emphasizes the active inclusion of women in the training process, aligning with ADB’s commitment to inclusive development. Improving early warning systems is another central element of the initiative. Plans include updating disaster risk management strategies, strengthening coordination between local authorities and communities, and enhancing the clarity and timeliness of public alerts related to glacial and snowmelt hazards. Tajikistan joined the ADB in 1998. Since then, the partnership has supported a wide range of infrastructure and development projects, including the modernization of major highways, such as the Obigarm-Nurobod, Dushanbe-Bokhtar, Aini-Penjikent, Dushanbe-Tursunzade, and Vose-Khovaling corridors, as well as the restoration of irrigation systems, expansion of water supply networks, and construction of schools and hospitals.

Water-Saving Technologies

Kyrgyz Farmers Encouraged to Adopt Water-Saving Irrigation Methods

Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, Bakyt Torobaev, has urged the country’s farmers to adopt modern, water-efficient irrigation technologies, specifically drip and sprinkler systems. Citing the growing impact of climate change, glacial melt, and declining river and precipitation levels, Torobaev warned of ongoing irrigation water shortages and stressed the need for more efficient use of existing water resources. The government is undertaking large-scale water conservation efforts, including the construction of new reservoirs, the reconstruction and cleaning of irrigation canals, and the development of a new facility to produce innovative canal-lining material. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan and UK-based Concrete Canvas Ltd. are jointly implementing a €20 million project to build a local plant for manufacturing concrete canvas, a flexible, cement-based material designed to line canals and reduce water loss. Torobaev noted that modern irrigation systems currently cover only 16,000 hectares of Kyrgyzstan’s agricultural land. The government aims to expand this by 30,000-40,000 hectares annually, reaching a total of 200,000 hectares under water-saving irrigation by 2030. To support the transition, various financing options are available, including state-backed programs, bank lending instruments, World Bank project funding, and a concessional loan initiative expected to launch in 2026. According to the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture, and Processing Industry, drip and sprinkler systems will be installed on 5,270 hectares of land in 2026, funded by the state budget. In 2024-2025, systems were installed on 2,369 hectares, 641 hectares with drip irrigation and 1,728 hectares with sprinklers. Kyrgyzstan currently has approximately 1 million hectares of irrigated agricultural land.