Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  During the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Uzbekistan’s Minister of Ecology Aziz Abdukhakimov held a meeting with Juan Carlos Mendoza, Director of the Environment Department at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

The meeting, which also involved Minister of Water Resources Shavkat Khomraev, focused on strengthening cooperation in the fight against land degradation and climate change.

Minister Abdukhakimov expressed gratitude to IFAD for its support and emphasized the importance of joint efforts by Central Asian countries in addressing these issues. The main topic of discussion was a new five-year joint project involving the Adaptation Fund, IFAD, and the Ministry of Ecology of Uzbekistan.

The project aims to reduce poverty in rural areas by improving climate services in agriculture and increasing the resilience and income of rural communities. It includes three components: the development of an agro-climatic monitoring system, the enhancement of institutional and technical capacities for analyzing climate scenarios, and raising public awareness about the impact of climate change on agriculture.

Juan Carlos Mendoza confirmed IFAD’s commitment to supporting Uzbekistan in addressing the consequences of the Aral Sea disaster and land degradation, emphasizing the need to structure initiatives in Central Asia.

Minister Abdukhakimov shared information about the "Expo Hub" for climate technologies in the Aral Sea region, which was created at the initiative of the President of Uzbekistan, as well as the planned Expo exhibition of climate and desert technologies next year. He also mentioned the launch of in-vitro laboratories for developing seeds adapted to local conditions and the establishment of the Central Asian Green University for Environmental and Climate Change Studies in Tashkent.

The parties agreed to continue active cooperation within the framework of the joint project and discussed opportunities for expanding future collaboration. The meeting highlighted the commitment of Uzbekistan and IFAD to addressing climate change and land degradation issues in the region.