Uzbekistan and UNDP Discuss Aral Sea Rural Development

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan Alisher Shukurov held a meeting with representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Uzbekistan.

During the talks, the parties reviewed the results of joint activities aimed at improving the well-being of residents in the Aral Sea region, ensuring environmental stability, and integrating advanced methods into the agricultural sector.

The main item on the agenda was the discussion of the results and current status of a project designed to support green and inclusive development, as well as to increase the resilience of the most vulnerable segments of the population in the specified region.

The participants of the meeting paid special attention to infrastructure achievements in the Karauzyak and Kegeyli districts of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. Thanks to targeted measures within the framework of the joint project, local water supply systems were modernized, which made it possible to provide quality drinking water to approximately 3,000 rural residents. In addition, the program demonstrated high efficiency in supporting agricultural production.

Technical assistance was extended to three production cooperatives in the pilot districts, enabling them to introduce resource-saving agricultural technologies and create additional jobs. To date, these cooperatives provide specialized services annually to more than 70 farms, cultivating an area of over 3,000 hectares.

At the conclusion of the negotiations, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and the UNDP outlined vectors for further interaction over the long term. In particular, the parties considered the implementation parameters for the second phase of the key project, which is scheduled for 2027–2031, and assessed the potential for launching new joint initiatives.

The partners confirmed their commitment to mitigating the consequences of the Aral Sea environmental crisis, ensuring the rational use of land and water resources, and widespread implementation of green economy principles to improve living standards in rural areas.