Uzbekistan launches $153 million landscape restoration project
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — Uzbekistan has launched a $153 million project with support from the World Bank to restore degraded landscapes and forests across six regions of the country. The announcement was made during the Climate Forum held in Samarkand on April 4–5.
According to Gazeta.uz, the Restoration of Sustainable Landscapes in Uzbekistan Project will be implemented under a broader Central Asian regional initiative aimed at rehabilitating forests and degraded land. The World Bank will provide the full funding package through a mix of concessional loans and grants.
The project covers the regions of Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Samarkand, Surkhandarya, and Syrdarya. Its key goals include restoring degraded land through tree planting and agroforestry systems, promoting sustainable ecotourism, improving the management of protected areas, and supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises that make efficient use of natural resources.
These efforts are also expected to create short-term employment opportunities, particularly for local communities engaged in reforestation and greening initiatives.
Additionally, the project will support the creation of Uzbekistan’s first unified forest plantation database and a digital platform for the Forestry Agency to better coordinate its operations.
Speaking at the forum, Minister of Ecology Aziz Abduhakimov said the project would contribute directly to Uzbekistan’s long-term environmental goals.
“The project we launch jointly with the World Bank will help the government achieve the goals under the Concept for Developing Uzbekistan’s Forest System until 2030,” he said. “These include expanding the area of forests across the country to 6.1 million hectares by the end of this decade.”
World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia Tatiana Proskuryakova highlighted the significance of Uzbekistan’s participation in the broader RESILAND CA+ ( Resilient Landscapes Restoration Project) program, which seeks to build climate resilience in both urban and rural landscapes across Central Asia.
According to the Ministry of Ecology, forested land managed by Uzbekistan’s Forestry Agency currently totals 4.4 million hectares, or 10.6% of the country’s territory.
The initiative also aligns with a presidential decree issued on March 27, 2024, which outlined key targets for forest restoration with support from the International Development Association. These include:
- Supporting natural forest regeneration on 176,000 hectares
- Restoring degraded pastures across 38,500 hectares
- Introducing water-saving technologies and combating soil erosion on 15,000 hectares of mountainous forestland
- Rehabilitating 14,200 hectares through agroforestry
- Establishing industrial forest plantations and medicinal plant farms on two separate 5,000-hectare plots
In support of scientific research, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Forestry Agency and Green University. The agreement will facilitate joint studies in forestry and environmental management, further strengthening the project’s long-term impact.
Uzbekistan’s push for ecological restoration comes amid broader regional efforts to combat land degradation and climate change. With support from international partners like the World Bank, Tashkent hopes to position itself as a regional leader in sustainable land management and green innovation.
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