UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan visits Karakalpakstan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- From 26 to 28 September 2019, Ms. Matilda Dimovska, Permanent Representative of the United Nations Development Program in Uzbekistan, visited the Republic of Karakalpakstan, where she got acquainted with the current state of the region, the government’s efforts to prevent the effects of the environmental crisis, and UNDP activities in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.

Formal meetings, results of interaction, new horizons of cooperation

The visit began with meetings in the Jokargy Kenes of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, where Ms. Dimovska emphasized the importance of the Aral Sea region in the UNDP activities in Uzbekistan. As part of the implementation of joint projects and initiatives, from 2012 to date, 64 projects have been implemented to improve social infrastructure, which has provided over 66,000 rural residents with access to drinking water, electricity, as well as healthcare and education. More than 215 small business development initiatives have received support, including for promoting green technology in rural areas. In addition, throughout the region, 3,710 local volunteers were trained in hygiene and healthcare, which increased the medical literacy of 213,420 people. According to the Karakalpak branch of the Institute of Health and Medical Statistics under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, the incidence of tuberculosis in the region has decreased over five years from 103 for every 100,000 people in 2012 to 78 per 100,000 people.

Within the framework of the first joint project of the UNDP and the Adaptation Fund in the republic, in close cooperation with the local population, 10 pasture cooperatives are organized in a total area of 15,300 hectares, of which 43,000 are members, united by a common goal - to restore the productivity of degraded pastures and create new ones grazing land. A set of measures is being taken to ensure a climate of sustainable agriculture by piloting agro and water-saving technologies, applying adaptation practices at the landscape level in support of the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On the State Program for the Development of the Aral Sea Region Region for 2017-2021”. Moreover, as was noted during the meeting, the Aral Sea region is one of the UNDP priorities in the context of integration and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

“UNDP in Uzbekistan is ready to continue to support people affected by the Aral Sea crisis by ensuring human security. We are pleased to expand the scope of our cooperation in the format of the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to create a zone of environmental innovation and technology in the Aral Sea region to ensure its sustainable development,” Ms. Dimovska emphasized during the high-level meeting.

Last year, at a meeting of the heads of the founding states of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed to consider declaring the Aral Sea region a zone of environmental innovation and technology. As expected, this will help, through the joint efforts of countries, to create conditions for attracting foreign investment in the development and implementation of environmentally friendly technologies, the comprehensive implementation of the principles of a green economy, environmentally friendly, energy and water-saving technologies, prevention of desertification, environmental migration, the development of ecotourism and other measures.

On the same day, in Nukus, the launch ceremony of the new UNDP and UNESCO project “Solving the pressing problems of human security in the Aral Sea region by promoting sustainable rural development” took place. The project, aimed at mitigating the negative environmental, social and economic consequences for the most vulnerable communities in the region, received financial support from the UN Multi-Partnership Trust Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea region.

“Let me assure you that for UNDP the issues of supporting the Aral Sea region are of great importance, we will continue to work on expanding our participation in the region,” Ms. Dimovska said in her welcoming speech to the participants of the ceremony. “UNDP offers global experience in implementing innovative solutions for the integrated achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the region.”

Supporting the introduction of technologies for climate change adaptation for farmers and households

Since 2014, UNDP has been closely cooperating with the Hydrometeorological Service Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan - Uzgidromet - in the framework of the joint project "Ensuring Climate Stability of Farmers and Dehkan Farms Located in the Dry Areas of Uzbekistan", funded by the UNFCCC Adaptation Fund. As an example of one of the approaches to adaptation to climate change at the landscape level, with the support of the project, pasture cooperatives were first created in Karakalpakstan. Their task is to organize a sustainable fodder basis for the development of grazing, effective pasture management, restoration and improvement of degraded lands. During the visit, with the participation of Ms. Dimovskaya, a ceremony was held to transfer three tractors for use by local pasture communities, organized as part of the project.

As part of the visit program, meetings were held in Takhtakupyrsky district. Here, the practice of developing intensive gardening on the area of the Bazarbay Baghman farm, and the rural gathering of Kara Oy citizens is being introduced. The advantages of this practice include the possibility of obtaining a crop already for 2-3 years after planting dwarf trees, while vigorous plants give fruit only for 5-7 years. Leaving also does not require much effort, and drip irrigation technologies widely used here allow saving water.

Improving social infrastructure, promoting business ideas, improving the welfare of residents

Ms. Dimovska visited an object to improve the social infrastructure of the district, where a desalination station was reconstructed to provide drinking water to residents of the Taza Orai community and the Daukara community. The project was implemented by the UN Joint Program “Strengthening the Resilience of the Population Affected by the Aral Sea Crisis through the Creation of a Multi-Partnership Fund for Human Security for the Aral Sea Region” with the assistance of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

The next point of the visit was the makhalla gathering of citizens “Takhtakupyr”, where, with the assistance of the Joint Program, a storage for fruits and vegetables was created, containing up to 150 tons of products at the same time. In the Takhtakupyr region there are more than 260 farms. In 2018, the total production of fruits and vegetables amounted to 3,314 tons. Considering economic factors, as well as local climatic features, this initiative is important for local farmers and gardeners.

“We have a great opportunity to establish close ties with local farmers, households and end users. Previously, due to the lack of appropriate equipment and technologies, we could not store products for longer than a certain period. Fruits and vegetables quickly deteriorated, especially in the summer. Now this problem has been solved, and in the long run we plan to start exporting local products to the CIS countries,” the project initiator, Azizbek Djumanazarov said at a meeting with Ms. Dimovskaya.

On the same day, the UNDP Resident Representative in Uzbekistan familiarized herself with the activities of two business support facilities to create sources of income in the Aydin Jol MSG. The family-owned enterprise Borshi, working under the leadership of Dauran and Marziya, produces seeds in a modern, colorful package. A versatile Workshop "Early Sheber" specializes in the production of bedding, clothing and other products from camel wool using the most modern equipment.

The second day of the study visit began with a trip to Muynak region. The Tikozek SSG has a branch of Family Clinic No. 32, where solar photovoltaic panels are installed to ensure uninterrupted power supply. In addition, Ms. Dimovska met with community health volunteers who, together with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, are engaged in raising public awareness of respiratory, cardiovascular, gastroenterological diseases and reproductive health.

At another meeting, to the sound of the bell from the lesson, dozens of children surrounded the UNDP delegation. In the center of Muynak, there is school number 1, in which 530 students are studying. The educational institution did not have enough training places. The joint UN program assisted in the reconstruction of an additional building for primary school students, which now easily accommodates 120 children per shift.

Manzura Yerniyazova, the head of the Karakalpak Sheberi Manzura workshop, also had a no less rosy welcome. There are 10 girls and women who sew the history of their native land with their own hands in patterns on doll outfits, souvenirs, carefully lay shells on canvases and decorate national costumes, hats for various celebrations. Recently, dry cleaning services are also available here.

Another object on the route of the visit of Ms Dimovska was the pastoral cooperative “Ajiniyaz jaylaulary” in the SSH “Hakim ata”, created in 2018 with the support of UNDP. Today, the cooperative has at its disposal about 582 hectares of pasture land, the association provides efficient livestock and agricultural management services for 595 households - members of the cooperative. As climate-proof practices for pasture restoration and livestock development under drought conditions, the project introduced a technology for harvesting green fodder in a hydroponic plant with a capacity of 500 kg / day, which makes it possible to feed up to 50 cattle every day, which helps to relieve pressure on pasture land and restore 100 ha of pastures per year.

At the end of the visit, Mrs. Dimovska visited Shumanay district, where she got acquainted with the activities of the milk processing workshop, as well as the men’s shoe manufacturing workshop, initiated as part of projects aimed at creating sources of income for the local population.