ALMATY — The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved $250 million for Glaciers to Farms program, a flagship adaptation initiative led by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen water and agricultural resilience in glacier-dependent communities across Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Pakistan.
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The program will mobilize an additional $3.25 billion in ADB investments over the next decade, focusing on efficient irrigation, water storage, and watershed management.
These measures aim to mitigate the growing risks of droughts and floods caused by accelerated glacial melt, reported the ADB press service on Oct. 29.
“Rapid glacial retreat is one of the most complex development challenges faced by our region. With catalytic support from GCF, Glaciers to Farms will help move the region towards long-term resilience that protects lives and livelihoods for generations to come,” said ADB Director for Agriculture, Food, Nature, and Rural Development Yasmin Siddiqi.
The initiative covers nine ADB member countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Approximately 13 million people, including farmers and vulnerable populations in fragile mountain regions, are expected to benefit directly. Beyond improving agricultural productivity, the program will fund climate and glacier assessments, early warning systems, and adaptive social protection schemes to address water scarcity and heat-related risks.
It will also enhance the capacity of local banks to finance sustainable agricultural enterprises, particularly those led by women, and strengthen health services in communities facing climate-induced challenges.
“The Glaciers to Farms program is the kind of large-scale, innovative, and collaborative effort that will help countries in Central and West Asia strengthen adaptation planning and cooperation to manage climate impacts on glacier-fed water systems,” said GCF Director for Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East Thomas Eriksson.
Approved at the GCF’s 43rd Board Meeting, the program builds on glacier risk assessments conducted in 2024 that established the scientific basis for large-scale adaptation planning.
