Implementation period: 2006 – 2011 Participating countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan Coordinating partners: International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Asian Development Bank (ADB), UNDP, IFAD, and national governments Donors and partners: Global Environment Facility (GEF), international development organizations, regional institutions
The Central Asian Countries Initiative for Land Management (CACILM) was launched as a regional response to widespread land degradation and desertification affecting the environment, economy, and livelihoods across Central Asia. The initiative aimed to promote sustainable land management (SLM) at national and regional levels through policy reforms, investments, and knowledge sharing.
CACILM was implemented as a 10-year multi-phase program, with the first phase carried out from 2006 to 2011. The initiative laid the foundation for long-term cooperation in combating land degradation and supporting rural development.
Outcomes of the initiative:
Establishment of national SLM strategies in five countries
Launch of dozens of demonstration projects on soil restoration, rangeland rehabilitation, and erosion control
Improved policy integration and multi-sectoral coordination on land use
Strengthened regional cooperation in addressing land degradation and desertification
CACILM served as a pioneering initiative in the region and became a model for integrated, cross-border approaches to sustainable land use. It also provided the groundwork for follow-up programs such as CACILM-2, with a continued focus on climate-resilient, sustainable landscapes in Central Asia.
