Glaciers in Tajikistan’s mountains are melting faster than ever, and this has a direct impact on farmers’ lives. Crops require more water, and heat and dust storms are causing serious damage to fields and bees. To survive, farms are looking for new ways to adapt – from biogas to replanting.

 

The field that yields twice the harvest

In the Vahdat district, the Usto Murod farm, headed by Galatmo Aliyeva, produces two harvests a year. After harvesting wheat or vegetables, the farm sows the field again with corn or fodder crops for livestock. This helps the family ensure a stable source of food despite the instability of the climate, which is becoming increasingly unpredictable.

“We can’t rely on just one crop,” says Galatmo. “The climate is unpredictable: hot days, dust storms, drought. If one crop fails, the other will help cover the costs.” 

Crop rotation helps keep the soil fertile, but even these measures cannot completely protect against climate change.

 

Climate, glaciers and changing nature

Hot days and melting glaciers in the mountains directly affect agriculture. Galatmo explains: “We have water because we are closer to the sources of the rivers, but even we have to water more often. If three waterings per season were enough before, now it is five or six.” 

This need for more water is explained not only by rising temperatures, but also by deteriorating precipitation patterns.

Due to abnormal heat, the soil loses its strength, and its fertility has to be maintained with the help of biofertilizers. 

“Every year the soil loses its strength. We water more, and we maintain the yield and fertility of the soil with biofertilizers,” adds Mirali, Galatmo’s husband.

 

Losses due to dust and heat

Dust storms and high temperatures cause significant damage to the farm. Dust settles on plants, disrupting their normal development.

“The leaves get covered in dust and stop breathing,” says Galatmo. “To protect the plants, we cover them with film or grow them in greenhouses.” 

This, she says, helps minimise damage from dust and heat, but the costs of protecting and preserving crops are becoming increasingly high.

Every summer, the family faces the need to use additional means, such as films and greenhouses, to preserve their crops. This increases costs, but without these measures, crop loss becomes inevitable. 

“Every year we are faced with the fact that watering and protecting plants from dust and heat are becoming more and more expensive,” notes Galatmo Aliyeva.

Dust, heat and bee problems

The Usto Murod dekhkan farm also has its own apiary. Dust storms and hot summers also make beekeeping difficult. 

Galatmo’s husband, Mirali, who has been keeping bees since childhood, says that bees cannot collect nectar because flowers fade quickly and dust covers the plants. The honey harvest has fallen fourfold.

“We used to get 20-25 kg of honey from one hive, but this year we only got 4-5 kg,” complains Mirali.

Beekeeping also requires protection from dust storms. Mirali notes that it has become difficult for bees to find nectar, as it is impossible to collect it from plants covered in dust.

 

Biogas: benefits and savings

A biogas plant installed with the support of UNDP has become a real salvation for the family. Biogas saves them approximately 5 to 10 thousand somoni per year, and biofertilizers obtained from biogas have significantly improved the condition of the soil.

“Now there is no need to collect firewood or prepare manure. The gas burns cleanly, and the soil has become more fertile thanks to biofertilizers,” Galatmo rejoices.

 

High loans and expensive technologies

However, high credit levels remain a serious obstacle to further economic development.

“Our loans are at 31%. We need new technologies to adapt, but loans are too expensive,” Galatmo admits. 

The family cannot afford full-fledged drip irrigation for their fields, despite its effectiveness. “The drip system is expensive. We only use it in the greenhouse for seedlings. Unfortunately, we cannot afford it in the field,” explains Mirali.

Although preferential loans do exist, they are extremely difficult to obtain.

“The requirements there are such that we, farmers, cannot meet them,” says Galatmo.

 

Financial Challenges and Survival

Despite all the difficulties, the Aliyevs’ farm remains stable thanks to its diversity: several crops, beekeeping, livestock and biogas. 

“We don’t depend on remittances,” Galatmo says. “All the children work with me in the field. We grow two crops a year, grow different crops, keep livestock. If one crop doesn’t grow, another will help cover the costs.”

 

When Fields Turn to Dust: Farmers on Life Without Water

Malik Akhmedov is a rainfed farmer. His lands are in the adyrs (foothills), where there is no irrigation. “Because of the heat, moisture goes deeper underground, and dust storms cover the leaves of plants so that they cannot breathe. This year, I got only 1 ton of grain from 1.5 hectares of land. I can barely cover my expenses,” the farmer complains.

The rapid drying of grass in the adyrs deprives livestock of pastures, and the scorched lands themselves become sources of dust. This closes the circle: dust storms worsen the condition of crops, and the harvest falls even more.

The water problem remains one of the most pressing. “I have dry land, no irrigation,” explains Malik. “I thought about installing a reservoir to collect water in the spring and distribute it to the trees, but that requires money, which I don’t have.”

Vegetable grower Bakhtiyor faces another problem: there is water, but it is distributed unevenly.

“Whoever is at the source of the canal takes all the water, and it does not reach the farms below. Due to the heat, the moisture requirements of agricultural crops have increased two to three times.”

Murod Ergashev, a research fellow at the Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Tajikistan, notes:

“Increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation lead to an increase in the demand for water for irrigation, which intensifies the processes of evaporation and soil salinization.”

According to him, climate change is already changing the taste of vegetables: peppers are losing their pungency, local varieties of tomatoes are disappearing, and watermelons on dry lands no longer produce the same harvest as before. 

 

The Impact of Glacier Melting on Agriculture: What Do the Experts Say?

Climate change is causing Tajikistan to experience more extreme weather events, such as droughts, hot days, and dust storms. These conditions are negatively affecting crop yields, increasing the need for irrigation water and forcing farmers to spend more money to maintain their farms.

As noted in the report  “Climate Change Profile: Tajikistan”, the number of hot days with temperatures above 40°C will increase by more than 12 days by 2080 compared to the period 1986-2005. 

Glaciers in Tajikistan are a key source of water. Their melting and disappearance disrupts seasonal water supplies needed for irrigating agricultural land and generating electricity.

Alexander Pirov, an engineer at the Center for Glaciology in Tajikistan, says: “The melting of glaciers is accelerating, which is leading to a sharp decline in water resources needed for agriculture and hydropower. This problem requires urgent measures to adapt water systems and redistribute water resources,”  he told Cabar.asia .

 

Soil problems

Heat waves degrade soil, reducing its fertility. Almost 70% of arable land is subject to degradation, making farmers’ jobs more difficult. Climate change is accelerating this process by increasing temperatures and reducing precipitation.

Murod Ergashev, a researcher at the Institute of Soil Science, emphasizes: “Soils are becoming less productive due to rising temperatures and reduced precipitation. This leads to degradation and a decrease in soil fertility, which leads to a decrease in crop yields and worsening conditions for farmers.”

 

Dust storms and their impact

Dust storms are becoming more frequent, causing damage to both plants and infrastructure. These storms accelerate the melting of glaciers and require innovative methods to protect agricultural crops.

Rustam Nazarzoda, former chairman of Tajikistan’s Emergency Situations Committee, says : “Frequent dust storms have a devastating impact on the country’s ecosystem. This requires the introduction of new methods of soil protection and forest restoration to minimize damage to agriculture.”

 

High costs for water and fertilizers

Due to climate change, the demand for water for irrigation has increased significantly. This puts significant pressure on farmers, increasing their costs for irrigation and fertilizers.

Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said at a conference on glacier conservation in June 2025 in Dushanbe that “as global temperatures rise, glacier melting is accelerating, leading to a reduction in water resources. This is particularly critical for agriculture, which depends on a stable water supply.” 

Lack of accessibility to modern technologies

Financing remains a major challenge. Despite efforts by governments and international organizations, many farmers cannot afford the necessary investments to adapt to changing climate conditions and improve the resilience of their farms.

Switching to more efficient irrigation methods such as drip irrigation remains out of reach for most farmers due to the high costs of these technologies.

Professor of the Institute of Water Problems, Hydropower and Ecology of the Academy of Sciences Yarash Pulatov has been conducting research for more than 25 years and, together with colleagues, has developed more than 20 water conservation methods for agriculture.

According to the specialist , the use of these technologies will allow farmers to increase crop yields, save water and fertilizers, and therefore receive maximum income. However, the implementation of such solutions requires investments of $5 thousand and above, while the full payback period is at least six years.

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