WBG Blog: Rethinking Landscape Restoration in Central Asia to Improve Lives and Livelihoods
TTL: Paola Agostini (Lead Natural Resources Management Specialist), Environment and Natural Resources GP
Central Asian countries are highly exposed to droughts and sand and dust storms. Strong winds, scarce vegetation, long and dry summers, and frequent droughts are the main factors. Moreover, unsustainable land and water use, greater aridity, and long and extreme droughts are expected to cause more sand and dust storms in Central Asia. Evidence has already prevailed since the worst sand and dust storm hit the city in 150 years in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in November 2021.
The recent World Bank Blog, "Rethinking Landscape Restoration in Central Asia to Improve Lives and Livelihoods," underlines that authorities and stakeholders in Central Asia need to challenge and rethink the concept of land restoration from conservation to more investment-oriented and productive landscape restoration that can generate income while preventing land degradation. The blog suggests the three globally recognized approaches such as having a holistic view of the entire landscape as an interconnected space, empowering local communities to be environmental stewards, and linking short-term initiatives with long-term development strategies.
The World Bank has been actively supporting the governments and local communities of Central Asia over the last five years through the Resilient Landscape Restoration Program - RESILAND CA+, Pillar 1 of Climate and Environment (CLIENT) Program in Central Asia. The program aims to promote more sustainable ecosystem management, increase economic investment and growth in productive restoration at the community level, and focus on food security through Agroforestry Trees. KGGTF Year 8 Grant – Promoting Forest Information and Communication Technology in Uzbekistan (TTL: Paola Agosniti) – supported Uzbekistan Resilient Landscape Restoration Program, which introduced disruptive forest ICT and built a data-based sector management for forest restoration in the poor and degraded mountain areas.