UNDP Provides Karakalpakstan with Mobile Soil Analysis Laboratory

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has delivered a mobile laboratory to the Karakalpak Republican Agroservice Center under Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture.

The new equipment is designed to help farmers in the Aral Sea region adapt to climate change and increase agricultural productivity in one of the areas most vulnerable to environmental challenges.

Farmers in the Aral region face daily issues such as soil salinization, unpredictable weather, and lack of information on land conditions. Until now, soil diagnostics required sending samples to stationary laboratories, which delayed timely decision-making.

According to Abdurashid Mirzambetov, Associate Professor at the International Innovation Center of the Aral region, the absence of modern technologies forced farmers to work “blindly,” reducing yields and accelerating soil degradation. The mobile laboratory, he emphasized, allows soil analysis results to be obtained directly in the field within 15–20 minutes.

The equipment measures soil acidity, salinity, moisture, and nutrient content, and helps determine the optimal time for irrigation. This enables recommendations for crops suited to specific plots and prevents inefficient use of water and fertilizers.

“Now we can provide precise, personalized recommendations for each hectare of land based on scientific analysis of soil and climate conditions,” said Bahodir Annakulov, Director of the Karakalpak Agroservice Center. Accurate soil data will help increase yields, reduce costs, and slow land degradation.

Specialists at the center have been trained to operate the new equipment and develop practical recommendations for farmers. As a result, the mobile laboratory becomes not only a technological solution but also a tool to improve the quality of agricultural consulting in the region.

The initiative aligns with Uzbekistan’s Agricultural Development Strategy for 2020–2030 and is viewed as a long-term investment in sustainable agriculture.

The project is being implemented by UNDP with financial support from the Russian government as part of a program to strengthen community resilience and promote green development in the most vulnerable communities of the Aral region.