The delegation of the Agency for Increasing Forests and Green Areas and Combating Desertification under the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change participated in the international conference “China–Central Asia Cooperation on Desertification Control”, held in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China.
During the conference, two important cooperation agreements were concluded to strengthen joint efforts in afforestation, sustainable natural resource management and land restoration.
The first agreement was signed by Erkin Mukhitdinov, Director of the Agency, and Wu Xiaorui, Head of the Forestry and Grassland Administration of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.
The agreement provides for the implementation of joint projects on protective forest plantations, modern nurseries and seed production facilities, sustainable forestry development and green industries. The parties also agreed to cooperate on efficient water resource management, restoration of degraded lands, prevention of soil salinization and ecosystem rehabilitation.
Particular attention during the discussions was given to the practical implementation of joint projects, engagement of technical experts and mobilization of financing opportunities.
The second agreement was signed between the Agency and the Chinese company Yinchuan Wolsenn Modern Irrigation Co., Ltd by Erkin Mukhitdinov and the company’s Chairman of the Board, Chen Lin.
Under the agreement, the Chinese side will provide Uzbekistan with water-saving irrigation technologies, including a demonstration fertigation system, and will organize regular training programmes for local specialists.
The introduction of advanced fertigation technologies is expected to improve the effectiveness of afforestation and desertification control efforts, ensuring more efficient water use and higher survival rates of planted trees in arid conditions.
Fertigation is a modern agricultural practice that combines irrigation and fertilizer application through a single system, delivering nutrients directly to plant roots. The technology can reduce fertilizer consumption by 20–50 percent, automate irrigation and nutrient delivery processes and significantly lower labor costs.
Cooperation between Uzbekistan and China in forestry and land restoration has expanded steadily in recent years. In 2025, with the support of Chinese partners, halophyte nurseries were established in the Arnasay, Karmana, Mubarek, Karakul and Nukus districts. A total of 1,400 tonnes of halophyte seeds were imported to Uzbekistan, and seedling production is already underway.
In addition, the Agency and the Chinese company Sinoway Forest have launched the project “Development of Carbon-Sequestering Forestry and Ecosystem Restoration”, which includes the establishment of 5,000 hectares of pistachio plantations in Surkhandarya Region.
The newly signed agreements demonstrate the commitment of Uzbekistan and China to strengthening practical cooperation on desertification control, restoration of degraded lands and the introduction of innovative environmental technologies.
📍 Source: National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan
