Uzbekistan Secures Millions for Climate-Resilient Agriculture and Livestock
Uzbekistan secured a $60 million ADB loan and €103.7 million in regional funding to combat drought and restore degraded landscapes.
The Government of Uzbekistan secured significant international funding to protect its agricultural and livestock sectors from climate change. The Asian Development Bank approved a $60 million concessional loan for the Resilient Livestock Development Project, which targets 29,000 smallholder farmers in Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Samarkand, and Karakalpakstan. This initiative focuses on expanding salt-tolerant fodder crops, rehabilitating watering points, and deploying AI-supported pasture monitoring to combat extreme heat and water scarcity.
Additional support for the livestock project includes a $5 million grant from the Green Climate Fund and a $3 million grant from the Government of Japan. Kanokpan Lao-Araya, ADB Country Director for Uzbekistan, noted that livestock is a vital source of income and food for millions in rural areas but is increasingly affected by drought.
Simultaneously, Uzbekistan will receive €103.7 million through the Climate-Resilient Landscapes in Central Asia (CLiCA) program. Launched during the World Leaders' Summit on Climate Action at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, the larger €264.4 million initiative was co-developed by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The funds will support forest and pasture restoration and climate-resilient farming. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the summit, where Uzbekistan pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product by 50% by 2035 compared to 2010 levels.
