Ashgabat, 22 January 2026 — Batyr Mammedov, Executive Director of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC), and Mergen Kepbanov, Director of the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan, took part in the International Conference on Food Security in the Context of Climate Change, “Health and Nutrition in a Changing Climate”, held in Ashgabat.
The Conference has become an important platform for discussing the relationship between climate change, public health and the sustainability of agri-food systems, as well as approaches to strengthening food security in the region.
At the plenary session, welcoming remarks were delivered by Charyyar Chetiyev, Minister of Agriculture of Turkmenistan, Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Charygeldi Babaniyazov, Minister of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, and Murad Mammedov, Minister of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan. In their speeches, they stressed the importance of constructive dialogue and wished the participants successful and fruitful work at the conference.
Within the framework of the conference, thematic sessions were held, including Session 1, “The One Health Approach as a Cornerstone of Agri-Food Systems Transformation”; Session 2, “Regional Initiatives to Strengthen Climate Resilience and Ensure Food Security in Central Asia”; as well as a concluding session summarizing the outcomes of the conference.
"For CAREC, participation in the conference was an important opportunity to discuss practical solutions in the field of food security in the context of climate change, as well as opportunities to strengthen regional cooperation and exchange experience on the sustainability of agri-food systems in Central Asia," noted Mergen Kepbanov.
The Executive Director of CAREC, Batyr Mammedov, delivered a welcoming speech at the conference, highlighting the importance of joint efforts and partnerships in effectively responding to climate challenges affecting public health and nutrition.
The discussions at the conference confirmed the relevance of joint actions and the need to develop partnership initiatives aimed at increasing resilience and supporting the population in the face of climate change.
A key highlight of the conference was the signing of four new projects—two national and two regional—aimed at strengthening climate resilience and advancing sustainable solutions in Central Asia.
Two national projects were signed by the Minister of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan:
· “Catalyzing the Nature-Positive Transformation of the Agricultural Sector in Turkmenistan towards Enhanced Resilience to Climate Change” — the project, which will be implemented by the CAREC Project Office in Turkmenistan in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
· “Strengthening Turkmenistan's capacity to comply with the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) in accordance with the Paris Agreement”.
The following initiatives were signed among the two regional projects:
· The project “Strengthening Integrated Water Management in Amu Darya, Zarafshon and Panj River Basins”, signed by the State Committee for Water Management of Turkmenistan,
· The project “Coordinated approach for Land Restoration in Vulnerable Ecosystems of Central Asia”, signed by the Minister of Agriculture of Turkmenistan.
“The signing of the projects is an important step toward expanding cooperation, enabling us to move to practical implementation together with FAO and ensure the achievement of the set objectives,” emphasized Mergen Kepbanov.
CAREC will continue to work in partnership with national and international organizations, supporting initiatives that aim to develop sustainable approaches and strengthen regional cooperation in Central Asia.
Дополнительная информация:
Мерген Кепбанов - директор проектного офиса РЭЦЦА в Туркменистане, turkmenistan@carececo.org