Central Asian States Facing Significant Land Loss of Farmable Territories at COP29
Central Asian and Caucasus agricultural land is rapidly deteriorating, prompting concerns during the COP29 environmental summit. Participants acknowledged the urgent need for action but failed to propose concrete solutions.
According to Azerbaijan's agriculture minister, Majnun Mammadov, approximately 40% of global agricultural land is at risk of degradation, with around 12 million acres becoming unproductive annually. Tajikistan is particularly affected, with nearly a third of its agricultural land in critical condition, according to a recent Asia-Plus news report. Central Asian nations face threats such as deforestation, soil salinization, and overgrazing, especially in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Central Asia's drought issue affects 39% of its total landmass, as per UN data detailed in the Asia-Plus report.
Uzbekistan's ecology minister, Aziz Abdukhakimov, suggested adopting water-conserving and soil-monitoring technologies to address the issue. He emphasized the necessity for swift action, stating, "We must act promptly, or we will leave only deserts for future generations." However, participants agreed that collective action was essential yet failed to discuss specific initiatives to promote joint efforts.
Central Asian states lack the financial resources to implement solutions on their own. These nations have demanded substantial climate action funding of over $1 trillion annually from wealthier nations. After extensive negotiations at COP29 in Baku, wealthy nations agreed to commit $300 billion annually towards addressing global warming-related issues, including soil degradation. Yet, the outcome left many participants discontented, with developing nations accusing wealthier nations of being stingy, and some wealthy nations expressing anger over economically advanced states, like China and Saudi Arabia, claiming to be developing countries exempt from contributing to the COP climate action fund.
Soil degradation is linked to global warming, with many factors contributing to the loss of farmland and pasture across Central Asia, as outlined in a UN Convention to Combat Desertification report. This degradation exacerbates social challenges, including increased migration from rural areas to cities, resulting in higher air pollution levels and declining living standards in the region, according to a UN report.
Several strategies can help mitigate soil degradation, including water resource management, soil fertility improvement, precision agriculture, climate-smart farming, and biological solutions. Domestic and international funding, regional cooperation, and public-private partnerships are critical for implementing these strategies effectively. Central Asian states should advocate for increased international support for land restoration and climate-smart agriculture at platforms like COP29, focusing on scaling up transboundary landscape restoration projects, leveraging climate finance for soil and water conservation, promoting knowledge exchange, and integrating agriculture into national and regional climate plans. By combining robust national action, international funding, and regional partnerships, Central Asian states can respond effectively to agricultural land degradation and build resilience against climate change.
- At the COP29 environmental summit, widespread concerns were raised about soil degradation linked to global warming, with the UN Convention to Combat Desertification highlighting its contribution to the loss of farmland and pasture across Central Asia.
- While recognizing the need for action, participants at the COP29 summit failed to propose concrete solutions for Central Asian agricultural land deterioration, emphasizing the importance of collective action to address the issue.
- Agriculture ministers from Central Asian nations, such as Majnun Mammadov from Azerbaijan and Aziz Abdukhakimov from Uzbekistan, have suggested implementing water-conserving and soil-monitoring technologies to combat soil degradation, with Abdukhakimov stressing the urgency to act swiftly to prevent turning future generations into stewards of deserts.
- In an attempt to alleviate the financial burden, Central Asian states have demanded substantial climate action funding of over $1 trillion annually from wealthier nations, with negotiations at COP29 in Baku yielding a commitment of $300 billion annually, but leaving many participants disappointed, as developing nations accused wealthy nations of being stingy and some wealthy nations were angered by economically advanced states like China and Saudi Arabia claiming to be developing countries exempt from contributing to the COP climate action fund.
