Uzbekistan

Region: Asia and the Pacific
  • Two ships lie stranded in a vast field. There are small houses and powerlines in the background.

    Building resilience of communities affected by the Aral Sea disaster through Multi-Partner Human Security Fund for the Aral Sea

    Duration: May 2016 - December 2019
    Budget: US$4,710,075
    Implementing Agencies: UNDP(lead), UNESCO, UNFPA, UNV

    As a result of the Aral Sea environmental disaster, the population of Karakalpakstan, in the north-western region of Uzbekistan, is faced with income poverty, growing salinization of land and water resources, lack of food security, exposure to dust storms, poor quality of drinking water, and declining health.
     

     

     
  • An old woman leans over a wooden table holding a round piece of baked bread.

    Sustaining Livelihoods Affected by the Aral Sea Disaster

    Duration: March 2012 - March 2016
    Budget: US$3,840,450
    Implementing Agencies: UNDP (lead), UNESCO, UNFPA, UNV, WHO

    Once the world’s fourth largest lake, the drying up of the Aral Sea is considered one of the world’s worst environmental disasters, causing a cascade of challenges for the already disadvantaged region of Karakalpakstan. Desertification and the increased salinity of water have degraded all arable land, thus worsening food and economic insecurity leading to malnutrition and a poverty rate of 44%. In addition, severe dust storms as a result of the dry seabed has worsened the respiratory health of the local population and added stress to an overburdened healthcare system. These multifaceted and interconnected outcomes have constrained economic opportunities, undermined resilience and threatened the future of the region.