The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $3 million grant to strengthen Tajikistan’s capacity for glacier monitoring and hazard forecasting. The grant comes from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) financed by the Government of Japan through ADB.
“Glaciers and snow are vital for water supply, agriculture, and hydropower, yet rapid melting caused by extreme weather changes can trigger devastating floods, avalanches, and other hazards,” said ADB Country Director for Tajikistan Ko Sakamoto. “This project will help equip the country with advanced tools and skills to forecast and respond to these threats, safeguarding lives and strengthening resilience.”
The Agency for Hydrometeorology (Hydromet) will be the executing and implementing agency for the project, which is expected to be completed by 2029 and primarily implemented in selected districts of the Gorno–Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast.
The project will boost Hydromet’s ability to monitor glaciers and snow more accurately and timely by creating an end-to-end unified digital data system that improves data collection, storage, and analysis. This includes modernizing monitoring stations for real-time data collection and transmission, digitizing historical glacier data, and introducing advanced technologies like remote sensing and machine learning for better cryosphere monitoring and hazard forecasting.
To manage the unified data system, Hydromet’s technical staff will receive training in modern monitoring techniques and data management, with strong participation of women.
The project will also improve community-focused early warning systems for cryosphere-related hazards by developing disaster risk management plans, improving communication between local authorities and residents, and ensuring warnings are clear and reach people on time.
