FAO-GEF Program Highlights Sustainable Resource Management Results

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — As part of the ECO EXPO Central Asia 2026 international environmental exhibition at the Silk Road Samarkand complex, a side event titled “Results and Scaling Pathways of the FAO-GEF CACILM2 Regional Program on Integrated Natural Resource Management” was held. The event was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The event brought together representatives of government agencies, international and national experts, development partners, and organizations involved in the implementation of the program. Participants reviewed the initiative’s key achievements at both national and regional levels and discussed prospects for further replication of successful sustainable land and water management practices.

The FAO-GEF CACILM2 regional program, implemented with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), covers the countries of Central Asia and Türkiye. The initiative aims to promote sustainable land management practices, strengthen climate resilience, and restore degraded ecosystems.

The program was implemented in line with the objectives of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

During the event, participants presented the program’s major achievements. More than 2.8 million hectares of degraded land were brought under sustainable land management practices.

The program also introduced climate-smart and water-saving technologies, strengthened interagency coordination mechanisms and regulatory frameworks, and enhanced the capacities of national specialists and farmers in sustainable natural resource management.

Particular attention was given to increasing land productivity, improving water-use efficiency, promoting innovative agricultural solutions, and enhancing the socio-economic conditions of rural communities. Participants also highlighted the development of regional knowledge-sharing platforms and stronger cooperation among participating countries as important outcomes of the initiative.

Opening remarks were delivered by Nuriddin Kushnazarov, Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan on International Cooperation; Saule Sabiyeva, Director of the Climate Policy Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan and GEF Operational Focal Point; and Lifeng Li, Director of FAO’s Land and Water Division.

The program featured presentations on the regional results of CACILM2, implementation experiences in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, and prospects for future partnership development. A dedicated discussion focused on attracting investment to scale up successful sustainable land management practices.

Participants stressed the importance of institutionalizing the program’s achievements, expanding successful approaches, and fulfilling international commitments under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The side event demonstrated FAO’s significant contribution to advancing integrated natural resource management, developing sustainable landscapes, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices.

By bringing together policy dialogue, scientific knowledge, and practical experience, the event created additional opportunities for scaling up effective sustainable land-use solutions across Central Asia and Türkiye.

The event was organized by FAO with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, the National Committee of Uzbekistan on Ecology and Climate Change, and the ECO EXPO Central Asia 2026 exhibition directorate.