Strengthening regional cooperation for sustainable forests and biodiversity in Central Asia
10 November 2025, Bishkek/Astana – A back-to-back mission to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan was carried out from 26 October to 1 November 2025 under the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) to support ongoing efforts in sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and protected area planning in the region. The mission was conducted within the framework of the regional project “Improving Biodiversity and Sustainable Forestry”.
In Kyrgyzstan, the mission held coordination meetings with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the FAO Country Office. Field visits were conducted to the Chuy Forestry and Hunting Unit and the Chon-Kemin State Natural Park to assess opportunities for pilot implementation and capacity development.
The Chuy Forestry Unit is one of the proposed pilot sites for implementing multifunctional forest management approaches, with potential activities including development of concepts on forest nursery development, restoration of forest and pasture landscapes, and GIS-based monitoring. The visit to Chon-Kemin State Natural Park highlighted opportunities to strengthen protected area management, particularly in zoning, biodiversity monitoring and visitor/ecotourism planning.
In Kazakhstan, meetings were organized with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, FAO Kazakhstan, and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency in Astana. Discussions focused on aligning project activities with the Green Belt around Astana initiative, including technical exchanges on nursery systems, urban and peri-urban forestry, and community engagement for long-term landscape restoration.
Commenting on the outcomes, FAO representatives emphasized the importance of regional cooperation and knowledge exchange, noting that the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme provides a platform for countries to collaborate on shared environmental priorities, climate resilience and sustainable economic development.
The mission confirmed the strong commitment of national partners to advancing upcoming training programmes, field-based pilot activities and inter-agency cooperation.
About the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes
The objectives of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management; combat desertification; and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totalling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Türkiye and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the programme, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009 and 2015.
In 2014, Türkiye and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) with additional funding of USD 20 million, bringing Türkiye’s total contribution to USD 30 million.