Supporting sustainable water resources management in Central Asia

The water crisis in Central Asia, driven by climate change, inefficient water resource management and growing consumption, is a tangible problem, most visibly illustrated by the drying up of the Aral Sea.

As a regional cooperation organisation, IFAS tackles the main challenges facing the region, in a context of accelerating climate change and increasing water scarcity.

AFD has been active in Kazakhstan since 2024, notably in integrated water resources planning and management. It has also been present in Uzbekistan since 2016, where it finances public investments in water supply and sanitation. Strengthening regional water resource management is a cornerstone of IFAS's mandate and a strategic focus of AFD's global support to the water sector.

AFD's support to IFAS takes the form of a €2 million grant to implement two activities under the Programme of Action to Assist the Aral Sea Basin Countries (ASBP-4), developed by IFAS. The project has two main objectives:

• A detailed analysis of water needs in pilot sub-catchments of the Aral Sea basin, in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, using mapping to determine the actual needs of agricultural water users in these areas. Ultimately, the project aims to change the national regulatory frameworks governing irrigation regimes, adapting practices, crops and cultivation methods to growing water scarcity.
• An educational initiative to raise awareness among schoolchildren in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan of the need to preserve water resources. The initiative aims to foster environmental awareness and responsible water use, while promoting sustainable water resource management through educational activities. UNICEF implements this initiative in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

IFAS, as a regional organisation dedicated to good water governance, has a strategy and scientific evidence to propose a fine-tuned and tailored evolution of Uzbek and Kazakh national irrigation regulations in the irrigated areas located in the Aral Sea basin. Thus, by reducing overconsumption where possible, more water is available for the tributaries' other functions, notably ecosystem functions and may eventually allow the Aral Sea to be gradually restored. However, many actions are needed before a significant impact on the Aral Sea can be achieved: this project is one of those essential actions, at its own scale.

UNICEF has a mandate to promote the well-being of children and help prepare them for a future they will be equipped for. A renowned multilateral player, it helps mobilise global expertise, including European expertise, for this project.