The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development has financed the project "Development of Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems on Degraded Lands in Karakalpakstan" in the Republic of Uzbekistan, at a value of 18.7 million dirhams. The funding comes in alignment with the United Arab Emirates' vision of supporting sustainable development, and within the framework of the Fund's commitment to cementing its standing as an effective global partner in providing innovative financing solutions to address desertification challenges.
The project is the fruit of cooperation between the Fund and the Government of Uzbekistan, represented by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change and the Ministry of Agriculture, alongside the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).
Also involved are the International Innovation Center for the Aral Sea Basin (IICAS) and the Karakalpakstan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI), with the aim of enhancing local communities' capacity to adapt to the challenges of drought and desertification arising from the Aral Sea crisis. The project achieves a sustainable developmental impact through the introduction of integrated agricultural systems that rely on crops resistant to drought and salinity.