SATREPS-2020: Discussing Achievements and Future Plans within Uzbekistan–Japan Cooperation
2025-09-23 14:45:00 / News
Under the SATREPS-2020 grant program of the Government of Japan – Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development – the project "Development of new technologies for monitoring and controlling the use of water resources to combat soil salinization, improve land fertility and ensure food security in the Aral Sea region" is being implemented.
This project, carried out jointly with the Agency for Innovative Development and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), is scheduled for 2022–2027 and funded by a grant of 5.0 million USD from the Government of Japan.
According to the project, it is planned to establish a modern climate change monitoring center, conduct meteorological monitoring, and introduce new Japanese technologies into agriculture under salinized conditions, with the goal of improving land fertility in the Aral Sea region and the well-being of the local population with limited access to water resources.
Within the framework of the SATREPS-2020 program, a two-day seminar was organized at the Agency for Innovative Development with the participation of Japanese and Uzbek specialists. More than 100 scientists, as well as staff from ministries and agencies with the capacity to implement scientific research and innovation projects aimed at restoring the ecosystem of the dried-up Aral Sea bed and solving emerging problems through scientific methods, took part in the event.
At the seminar, representatives of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japanese and Uzbek scientists, and project participants presented information on the activities carried out in the Aral Sea region during 2024–2025.
For reference, to date, a call for joint Uzbekistan-Japan project proposals has been announced under the project, with a total of 12 projects funded in the amount of 23.7 billion UZS.In addition, more than 45 Uzbek scientists underwent training in Japan, thereby strengthening international cooperation, their scientific capacity, and research activities.
Furthermore, as part of the project, equipment from Japan was delivered for scientific research, including tools for monitoring salt content in soil, distribution of salt and water in the soil, water quality control, analysis of geographic information system (GIS) data, meteorological observations, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
During the seminar, discussions were also held on the selection of projects announced in the second stage of the Uzbekistan-Japan joint project competition in 2026, sending Uzbek scientists to Japan for scientific research, as well as establishing innovative meteorological stations to analyze climate change and air humidity.