Scientific Partnership For Land Restoration And Agricultural Adaptation In The Aral Sea Region

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan, the Karakalpak Research Institute of Agriculture, and the Rice and Grain Association, convened an international roundtable on "Combating Soil Degradation in the Aral Sea Region and Adaptive Agriculture." The event brought together leading agricultural experts from Uzbekistan and Russia, representing research institutes and centers specializing in restoring degraded lands and developing climate-adaptive farming practices.

Karakalpakstan stands at the epicenter of an ecological crisis caused by the desiccation of the Aral Sea. This process has triggered a cascade of socio-economic and environmental challenges, threatening food security and the livelihoods of the region's population. According to experts from Karakalpak State University named after Berdakh, the region is characterized by extreme conditions: temperatures fluctuate from minus 30°C in winter to plus 47°C in summer, annual precipitation amounts to only 80–120 mm while evaporation reaches 1,500–1,700 mm, creating critical water scarcity and jeopardizing agricultural productivity.

"The situation in Karakalpakstan is critical. Soil salinization, loss of humus, and the fact that tugai forests have been reduced to just 10 percent of their historical extent create a multi-faceted crisis affecting both agriculture and ecosystems. This is precisely why international scientific partnerships in restoring degraded lands represent not merely a necessity, but rather the key to sustainable development of the Aral Sea region," emphasized Bakhtybay Aiberganov, UNDP Expert.

Scientists at the roundtable presented innovative solutions to address these challenges. The Donskoy Agricultural Scientific Center unveiled new high-yielding winter wheat varieties specifically bred for stress conditions—drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures. The breeding program aims not only to increase yields but also to reduce water requirements, a critical priority for Karakalpakstan.

Building on these developments, the Research Institute of Plant Genetic Resources of Uzbekistan presented results of long-term studies on promising sesame varieties adapted to local conditions—Tashkent-122 (oil content 58%), Kora Shakhzoda, and Sadaf. Sesame demonstrates economic viability with a profitability rate of 66.4 percent while consuming only 1,800 cubic meters of water per hectare—three times less than cotton. This opens possibilities for agricultural diversification with more efficient use of limited water resources.

An alternative approach to pasture restoration was proposed by the Karakalpak Institute of Agriculture and Agricultural Technologies, presenting results of long-term field trials of halophytes (salt-tolerant plants) in the region as a promising source for revitalizing the livestock sector while simultaneously improving degraded soils. Halophytes serve not only as livestock forage but also function as natural agents for soil restoration.

Key scientific collaboration areas discussed at the roundtable include:

• Bacterial preparations for enhancing plant nutrition and increasing resilience to abiotic stresses
• Hydrogels derived from waste cellulose as innovative materials for optimizing plant growth conditions under moisture scarcity
• Innovative approaches to mitigating the impacts of climate change and desertification in the Aral Sea region
• Microbiological applications in soil bioremediation and agricultural use of saline soils
• Agrobiological assessment of rainfed rice varieties and their adaptation to abiotic stresses in Karakalpakstan conditions

Participants emphasized the critical importance of international scientific partnerships that enable the adoption of advanced methodologies tested under similar climate conditions and their adaptation to Karakalpakstan's local context. The accumulated experience of Russian research centers in addressing saline soils of the Caspian region, the methodological strength of the Russian scientific school in plant breeding and land reclamation, combined with the local expertise of Uzbek research organizations, provide a foundation for coordinated efforts in restoring the region's agricultural potential.

The initiative is implemented within the framework of the UNDP project " Enhancing the resilience of the local population and promoting green, inclusive development of the most vulnerable communities in the Aral Sea region," with financial support from Russia.