29 May 2025 - Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan — The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) took part in two high-level platforms in Dushanbe ahead of the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, reaffirming its commitment to climate-resilient agriculture and regional cooperation on water and food security.
One key engagement was the Forum on Agriculture in a Time of Glacier Loss, co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), and the Mountain Partnership, and hosted by the Government of Tajikistan. The forum featured a high-level plenary with ministers and senior leadership from the environment and agriculture ministries of Central Asian countries and China, along with key international partners. Discussions focused on the pressing links between glacier retreat, water availability, and food systems in mountain regions.
Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, Assistant Director-General of IOFS, delivered opening remarks at the Forum’s High-Level Panel on “Promoting Resilience in Mountain and Glacier Ecosystems.” He thanked the Government of Tajikistan and the organizers for the timely dialogue and stressed the importance of integrating OIC best practices and local innovations into broader resilience strategies. He highlighted IOFS initiatives on climate-smart agriculture, biochar application for water efficiency, and climate-resilient wheat varieties in drought-prone countries. He also shared the example of indigenous “ice stupa” technology in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region as a practical and scalable adaptation solution.
On the margins of the event, Amb. Noziri held bilateral meetings with Ms. Nigina Anvari, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan and IOFS Executive Board member, encouraging her active engagement in the Board’s work and strategic discussions. He also met with Mr. Yerlan Nyssanbayev, Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan and GEF Political Focal Point; Mr. Meder Mashiev, Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic; Mr. Aziz Abdukhakimov, Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Mr. Adham Musallam, WFP Representative in Tajikistan; Ms. Armida Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of ESCAP; and Mr. Asad M. Khan, Secretary General of ECO.
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation and identifying joint opportunities in food systems, water management, and climate resilience across the region.The Forum’s technical sessions further examined approaches to mountain farming, glacier-fed irrigation systems, and nature-based solutions as essential responses to climate vulnerability in highland communities.
At the invitation of CICA, IOFS participated in the Side Event on “Water Security and Climate Resilience”, co-organized by the Chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the CICA Secretariat. IOFS Project Manager Mr. Bakytzhan Arystanbek contributed to the panel discussion, which brought together stakeholders from across Asia to address glacier loss, water scarcity, and transboundary cooperation.
Mr. Arystanbek emphasized IOFS’s role in aligning food and water security across OIC Member States and its engagement at global platforms such as Cairo Water Week and the UN Climate Conferences. He reaffirmed IOFS’s readiness to deepen cooperation with CICA in promoting regional dialogue, sharing knowledge, and supporting practical solutions in climate-affected regions..jpeg)
These engagements reflected IOFS’s strategic presence in the regional climate and food security agenda and its continued efforts to advance sustainable agriculture, protect fragile ecosystems, and foster collaboration among Member States.
