Support for the Rehabilitation of degraded lands in the Lower Aral Sea Basin Project

The project seeks to improve the living conditions of the people of Karakalpakstan by supporting the socio-economic and environmental revitalization of the region. Its primary focus is on the sustainable restoration of degraded lands while enhancing agricultural and pastoral livelihoods, improving public health, and promoting adaptation to climate change and biodiversity conservation. The Government of Uzbekistan has requested support from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance land rehabilitation, soil desalination, irrigation modernization, and afforestation activities in the dried bed of the Aral Sea.

An investment program of up to €100 million, co-financed by AFD and EIB, aims to intensify land restoration efforts and create income-generating opportunities for local communities across the lower Aral Sea Basin. The program includes two main components: (i) restoration of degraded lands and (ii) upgrading of irrigation infrastructure. In preparation for this investment, AFD and EIB conducted a joint mission to Uzbekistan in November 2021 to assess the institutional, socio-economic, and environmental context, establish a shared vision with national stakeholders, and resolve technical and organizational issues identified during the feasibility stage.

Following the government’s request, the project focuses on detailed preparation for implementation, including the development of a comprehensive Project Implementation Manual, defining operational, financial, and administrative procedures for efficient coordination and resource management. Additional tasks include preparing tender documents for technical assistance and safeguard consultants, designing a monitoring and evaluation system with baseline data, organizing field missions across nine districts to validate plantation species and land-use agreements, and facilitating stakeholder consultations.

The project also involves analytical and institutional support such as land tenure assessments, benefit-sharing mechanisms, and technical appraisals to ensure that investments are both socially equitable and environmentally sustainable. Through this initiative, Rahmanov Partners contributes to shaping one of Uzbekistan’s most significant environmental and land restoration programs, bridging the efforts of national institutions, AFD, and EIB toward climate resilience, sustainable land use, and improved livelihoods for communities in the Aral Sea Basin.