On 2 March 2026, in Ashgabat, an event combining a working meeting and a national dialogue on drought risk management was held. The discussions took place at the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna of Turkmenistan with the participation of the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).
The meeting brought together representatives of government institutions, the scientific community, international organizations and the non-governmental sector. The main objective of the dialogue was to discuss current climate challenges related to drought risks and to identify practical solutions to strengthen the country’s resilience. The event was held within the framework of a regional drought risk assessment initiative supported by the World Bank’s CAWEB project.
Opening remarks were delivered by Pirli Kepbanov, Director of the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna under the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, Batyr Mamedov, Executive Director of CAREC, Iskandar Abdullaev, Senior Researcher at IWMI, and Mergen Kepbanov, Head of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan.
Opening the meeting, Mergen Kepbanov emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts among various institutions to develop a systematic approach to drought risk management. According to him, effective cooperation between science, government institutions and international partners is a key factor in strengthening climate resilience.
Iskandar Abdullaev noted that Central Asian countries are traditionally located in arid and semi-arid climate zones, where droughts are a natural phenomenon. However, climate change has made such events more frequent and prolonged in recent years. Rising temperatures, declining precipitation and changes in water availability are increasing pressure on agriculture and water supply systems.
In this context, he stressed the importance of developing early warning systems, improving national response mechanisms, and strengthening regional cooperation, as water and climate processes in the region often have a transboundary nature.
Batyr Mamedov, Executive Director of CAREC, noted that an analytical report on drought issues in Turkmenistan had been prepared within the framework of the project. The document reflects the current situation and existing response mechanisms and can serve as a practical basis for further improving national policies on climate risk management.
During the technical session, Iskandar Abdullaev presented an overview of the regional Drought Risk and Resilience Assessment (DRRA) initiative developed using the World Bank methodology. The methodology includes institutional readiness assessment, risk and vulnerability analysis, and identification of priority investment measures. It was noted that in addition to national drought profiles, a regional profile has also been developed, reflecting the transboundary nature of climate risks.
Lyudmila Kiktenko, CAREC Programme Manager for Environmental Management, presented the preliminary results of the drought risk assessment in Turkmenistan, outlining the main analytical areas and key findings.
The practical part of the dialogue was conducted through group discussions. Participants were divided into two working groups: one consisting of representatives of scientific institutions, and the other including representatives of NGOs and international organizations. This format allowed the integration of scientific expertise and practical project implementation experience.
Discussions focused on several priority areas:
development of a national drought early warning system
improving irrigation efficiency and water accounting systems
climate-resilient agricultural development
sustainable pasture management
digitalization of water management
In the second half of the day, the working groups presented the results of their discussions and conducted a multi-criteria prioritization of proposed measures. The evaluation considered risk reduction potential, feasibility, economic efficiency, socio-environmental benefits, institutional readiness and alignment with national development strategies. The outcome of the dialogue will be the formation of an agreed list of priority actions for further elaboration and potential investment support.
Following the event, a separate meeting was held between Mergen Kepbanov, Iskandar Abdullaev, and Mubarak Gurbanova, Director of the NGO “Taze Zaman.” The discussion focused on the prospects for implementing joint projects under the International Climate Initiative (IKI).
Particular attention was given to opportunities for integrated water resource management approaches, the development of climate-resilient agricultural solutions, strengthening the scientific and analytical base, and expanding the capacity of local communities in sustainable natural resource management.
A separate focus was placed on the gender dimension of climate projects. Participants emphasized that climate change directly affects the socio-economic conditions of women, particularly in rural areas of Lebap velayat, where they play an important role in agriculture, water use and household food security.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties confirmed their interest in further strengthening cooperation and agreed to continue preparing joint project proposals within the IKI programme cycle.
The event demonstrated a high level of interest among government institutions, scientific organizations and international partners in working together to strengthen Turkmenistan’s climate resilience and develop effective drought risk management mechanisms.
📌 Source: Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC).
