A project to create artificial glaciers is being implemented in the Batken region in southern Kyrgyzstan with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The FAO recently organized an informational event to assess the results of the artificial glacier technology implementation in the region, according to FAO Kyrgyzstan.
Representatives of diplomatic missions, international organizations, environmental activists, local authorities, and farmers participated in the event to see how the lives of local communities have changed since the construction of seven artificial glaciers.
They visited the artificial glacier in the Aina-Tash Gorge in the village of Kok-Tash in the Leilek district.
Artificial glacier technology is emerging as a promising solution to help Kyrgyz farmers adapt to the growing challenges of climate change.
Artificial glaciers, engineered ice structures formed in winter and melted during warmer periods, offer a low-cost, scalable method of ensuring water availability during the growing season.
Seven artificial glaciers have been constructed so far in villages across the Batken region. According to the Office of the President’s Plenipotentiary Representative in the Batken region, during this past winter season, they have accumulated over 1.5 million cubic meters of water.
According to FAO Kyrgyzstan, for farmers, artificial glaciers provide access to water during the critical early spring period, when irrigation water is scarce. This allows them to maintain livestock numbers, grow forage crops, and reduce the vulnerability of rural households to drought.
By reducing tensions around water resources, artificial glaciers help to strengthen food security and improve social resilience in border areas.
Participants agree that artificial glacier technology has proven its efficiency and can be scaled up throughout the country.
Photo: batken.gov.kg
