GWP was commissioned by UNDP to lead the development of a Green Climate Fund (GCF) climate adaptation project to improve the resilience of irrigated agriculture in Batken Province in Southern Kyrgyzstan through improved water security.
The impacts of climate change include increasing irrigation water demand in the short term, and reducing surface water flows as a result of glacial shrinkage in the longer term. Other agricultural climate risks include increasing likelihood of late frost and heat waves.
The project design includes developing drought early warning system, adaptive R&D and dissemination of agricultural knowledge, improved surface and groundwater monitoring, local climate action planning, on farm and off-farm irrigation efficiency improvements, and improved farmer access to finance.
Development of the Concept Note submission required developing the stakeholder engagement and site visits, climate rationale and climate risk assessment, undertaking a barrier assessment, developing a Theory of Change, and preparing a GCF Concept Note and supporting Pre-feasibility Study.
Stakeholders convene to discuss water resources management needs and flood risk.
Kyrgyzstan is vulnerable to climate change. This mountainous country experiences significant glacier melting and a lack of freshwater balance, which are accelerated by global warming.