We are pleased to announce that DMO Karakalpakstan is launching a new project under the Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP).

The project, “Creation of a Demonstration Model for the Restoration of Degraded Lands and Sustainable Land Management at the Local Community Level in the Village of Arbashy, Nukus District, Republic of Karakalpakstan,” has received official approval from the National Steering Committee of the GEF Small Grants Programme. The grant agreement between UNOPS and DMO Karakalpakstan has been signed.

In addition, on 24 September 2026, the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Karakalpakstan officially confirmed that there are no objections to DMO Karakalpakstan receiving external financing.

What will we do?

A 3-hectare demonstration site will be established in the village of Arbashy, where practical solutions for restoring degraded land will be tested and demonstrated.

The project will include:

- growing salt- and drought-resistant plants, including saxaul, tamarisk, saxaul-like shrubs (juzgun), indigofera, and other species;

- establishing a demonstration nursery;

- introducing drip irrigation and other nature-based solutions;

- demonstrating the rational use of water and environmentally sustainable agricultural practices;

- introducing solutions for solar energy, waste separation, and composting;

- providing practical environmental training for local residents, farmers, and representatives of rural households.

The main idea of the project is not simply to restore one plot of land, but to create a practical and replicable model that can later be applied in other rural communities across Karakalpakstan.

For DMO Karakalpakstan, this is another important step toward promoting an environmentally sustainable, community-based, and practice-oriented approach to the development of the Aral Sea region.

We sincerely thank our partners for their trust and support.

We are starting our work in Arbashy! 

#DMOKarakalpakstan #GEF #GEFSGP #UNOPS #UNDP #Karakalpakstan #AralSea #EnvironmentalSustainability #LandRestoration