On July 22-24, 2024, a working trip took place to the Chardzhou etrap of the Lebap velayat to select a pilot site within the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-8 project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) “Stimulating a positive transformation of the agricultural sector of Turkmenistan for increasing resilience to climate change”.
The working trip was organized within the framework of the signed Agreement between FAO and the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC) by the project office in Turkmenistan for the preparation of “Technical support on Nature-Based Solutions in Turkemnistan” (TCP).
In accordance with the indicators of GEF-8, FAO, the goal of the project is to restore ecosystems, increase their resilience to climate change, and promote natural solutions for sustainable agricultural practices in response to resource degradation in the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins. In this regard, the Lebap velayat was selected as a region that meets all the criteria of the upcoming project “Stimulating a positive transformation of the agricultural sector of Turkmenistan for nature to increase resilience to climate change.
On July 22, 2024, a meeting was held in the hakimlik of the Lebap velayat with the hakim of the velayat, deputy hakim of the velayat, heads of the Repetek, Amudarya and Koytendag nature reserves, representatives of the agrochemical laboratory of the Lebap velayat, as well as with the heads of specialized services of the velayat: environmental protection department, water resources management, land management, quarantine service, forestry service, and also.
At the meeting, the project representatives were Derya Deryayev, the responsible representative of the project from the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC project Office in Turkmenistan, Batyr Mamedov, Head of the Secretariat of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development and FAO National Consultant on Land and Water Resources, Nazar Allaberdiev, FAO National consultant on climate change, as well as an expert Dovlet Jumagulyyev.
Dovlet Jumagulyyev presented the main activities and goals of the project, paying special attention to the main tasks that must be solved during the implementation of the project. Batyr Mamedov gave information about the indicators to be achieved.
At the end of the meeting, the hakim of the Lebap velayat Shohrat Amangeldyyev summed up and identified the Chadrzhou etrap as a pilot site.
On July 23, 2024, meetings were held in the hakimlik of the Chardzhou etrap, at which the responsible representative of the project from the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, Derya Deryayev, spoke about the project, its goals and objectives. It was noted that the project aims to promote Turkmenistan’s national programs on sustainable development, mitigation of climate change, conservation of biodiversity and management of land and water resources, paying special attention to capacity building and infrastructure development. Community engagement and stakeholder participation are essential components of the project, which involves a strong commitment to gender integration and empowerment.
The project will work with government agencies to facilitate a transformational shift in the agricultural sector, where climate-resilient and nature-friendly methods are increasingly being used. This work includes improving the regulatory framework, increasing institutional capacity and awareness, establishing national project oversight boards and implementing pilot projects to demonstrate sustainable agricultural and environmental practices. As a result, the foundations for climate-sustainable agriculture will be laid.
Thus, it will create an agricultural landscape resistant to climate shocks and support food production, for example, the development of beekeeping to produce environmentally friendly and high-quality honey. It will also increase yields and resilience to climate change.
Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, noted that significant environmental impacts are expected to contribute to positive transformations at the local level. This will contribute to a long-term strategy for sustainable development, restoration of environmental ecosystems and their positive impact on the agricultural sector of Turkmenistan.
On the same day, project experts Batyr Mamedov and Nazar Allaberdyyev visited the Land Resources Service of the Lebap Velayat, the Water Resources Service of the Lebap velayat, the Hydrometeorological Service of the velayat and the Agrochemical Laboratory of the velayat. During the meeting, information was received on the condition of the land plots where the irrigated territories are located, as well as on the chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in sowing cotton, wheat and rice. The Hydrometeorological Service also received information about the equipment that is currently in use and about its possible upgrade within the framework of this project.
On July 24, 2024, with the support of hakimlik of Chardzhou etrap, a field trip was organized for the participants of the working group to the daykhan associations named after Hekimov, named after H. Hadjiyev, named after S. A. Niyazov and the Galkynysh daykhan association.
During the visit to the proposed territories, interested conversations were held with the heads of daykhan associations and their specialists. During these conversations, information was discussed about the population of daikhan associations, the number of men and women, the irrigation of fields, the yield of cotton and wheat, as well as the state of the forest belts of the irrigated territory.
The irrigated territories of daykhan associations and irrigation canals were visited. The potential of proper sowing of cotton, wheat and rice, as well as the correct planting of trees for forest belts, has been studied. It is planned to hold project seminars for daykhan associations in the irrigated areas of the forestry of the Chardzhou etrap, watering pastures and restoring vegetation cover on the territory of the Repetek and Amudarya reserves, restoration of tugai forests and seminars on the rational use of water resources.
A large range of activities includes strengthening the capacity of employees of daykhan associations, hakimliks and other public service bodies, as well as tenants, beekeepers and rural producers. Within the framework of these events, training will be conducted in the following areas: modern agricultural methods and agrotechnologies, effective management of water resources and irrigation, increasing yields and product quality, environmentally sustainable farming practices, the development of beekeeping and increasing the productivity of apiaries.
Additional information: Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, turkmenistan@carececo.org
