Tariq Saeedi and Elvira Kadyrova
- Turkmenistan and the FAO are implementing over 30 joint projects covering the digitalization of agriculture, sustainable cotton production, pest control, animal identification, and the “One Health” approach.
- The opening of a representative office in Turkmenistan marks a qualitatively new stage in the partnership.
- A new Country Programming Framework for cooperation between Turkmenistan and the FAO for 2026–2030 has been prepared.
- Four new projects worth $15–20 million have been signed, with financing provided by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
On 5 February 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan hosted a briefing focused on the cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The event was attended by leadership and staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in the country, as well as members of the media. Key speakers included Mahri Bashimova, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan; Viorel Gutu, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia (via videoconference); Dmitry Shlapachenko, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan; Makhtumkuli Akmuradov, Advisor on Environmental and Water Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.
The meeting primarily focused on the outcomes of the official visit to Ashgabat by FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, the current status of the Turkmenistan-FAO partnership, and strategic plans for future collaboration.
The partnership portfolio of FAO and Turkmenistan includes over 30 projects
FAO and Turkmenistan continue to consistently expand the cooperation that began in 1995.
“In the early stages of cooperation, priority was given to providing technical assistance, developing institutional capacity and introducing modern approaches to agriculture,” Bashimova said.
Since then, the cooperation agenda has been upgraded from point—to-point projects to comprehensive programs, from solving individual tasks to developing a systematic approach. Within the framework of the Country’s Cooperation Framework for 2021-2025, dozens of projects have been implemented aimed at digitalizing agriculture, increasing the sustainability of food systems, strengthening statistical capacity, introducing environmentally friendly technologies and supporting farms.
As Viorel Gutu noted, more than 30 projects in various areas of the FAO’s mandate are currently being implemented in Turkmenistan.
The cover locust control, digital monitoring of agricultural crops, implementation of a national animal identification system, sustainable and climate-optimized cotton production, protection of grain crops from pests and sustainable use of soil resources.
Particular emphasis is placed on the intersectoral approach of the One Health project, which treats environmental, health, and agricultural challenges as interrelated components of one integrated system.
“Cooperation continues within the framework of the CACFish initiative, and the country has been invited to full membership. This opens up new opportunities for deepening regional dialogue, sharing experiences and implementing best practices in the field of fisheries and aquaculture,” Mahri Bashimova said.
Future plans: opening of the FAO office in Ashgabat and new projects
As outlined at the briefing, Turkmenistan and FAO have extensive plans to deepen their partnership, including the launch of new programs and the opening of a permanent FAO representative office in the country.
Viorel Gutu noted that Turkmenistan remained the only country in the region where FAO did not have a representative office. He emphasized that the program’s growth over the last 7–8 years made the establishment of a formal office a natural and necessary progression.
The most significant outcome of the FAO Director-General’s visit to Ashgabat was the official signing of the agreement to open an FAO representative office in Turkmenistan. According to Bashimova, this event “opened up additional opportunities for closer and more rapid coordination of joint initiatives.”
“Follow-up actions: an FAO representative will be officially appointed, a country framework program will also be developed, a new one, it has already been almost drafted, and cooperation will gain new momentum,” said the FAO representative.
The mentioned Country Cooperation Framework Program for 2026-2030 will focus on sustainable rural development, increasing the competitiveness of family and smallholder farms, modernizing food systems and ensuring a high level of quality and food safety.
A special emphasis in the future program will be placed on the adaptation of agriculture to climate change, the preservation and restoration of soil fertility, rational management of water resources, the introduction of nature-oriented solutions and innovative technologies.
Recently, the FAO project portfolio in Turkmenistan has been expanded. During the visit of the FAO Director General, national and regional projects were signed covering such key areas as the nature-oriented transformation of agriculture, strengthening transparency under the Paris Agreement, integrated water resources management in the Amu Darya, Zeravshan and Panj basins, as well as the restoration of degraded lands in vulnerable ecosystems of Central Asia.
According to Viorel Gutu, about US $ 15-20 million will be invested in these projects. They are funded by the Global Environmental Fund. Some of these projects are multi-country, covering several Central Asian countries.
The projects will address issues of cooperation between countries in the field of water resources use, issues related to climate change, and land restoration in the ecosystems of Central Asia and more.
Turkmenistan’s cooperation with the FAO is reaching a fundamentally new level—evolving from a partnership focused on individual tasks into a strategic alliance aimed at long-term food security, environmental sustainability, and the socio-economic development of the nation.
This collaboration does more than just strengthen the national agricultural sector; it makes a significant contribution to regional and global efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The future promises an even more intensive and mutually beneficial partnership that will serve the interests of the people of Turkmenistan and the broader Central Asian region. ///nCa, 5 February 2026
Our materials on the visit of the FAO Director General to Turkmenistan:
FAO Director-General Calls for Urgent Transformation of Agrifood Systems in Central Asia at Ashgabat Conference – https://www.newscentralasia.net/2026/01/23/fao-director-general-calls-for-urgent-transformation-of-agrifood-systems-in-central-asia-at-ashgabat-conference/
President of Turkmenistan and Head of FAO Discuss Strategic Partnership in Food Security – https://www.newscentralasia.net/2026/01/22/president-of-turkmenistan-and-head-of-fao-discuss-strategic-partnership-in-food-security/
FAO Director-General had High-Level Meetings in Turkmenistan – https://www.newscentralasia.net/2026/01/23/fao-director-general-had-high-level-meetings-in-turkmenistan/
Here are some photos from the event:
