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.
