Innovations and cooperation in the field of sustainable management of land resources in Central Asia

On 18 June 2025, the LESLIE project successfully held its Second Online Workshop, reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation and cooperation in Sustainable Land Management (SLM) across Central Asia. With 216 pre-registrations and 130 participants joining live—80 of them simultaneously connected—the event confirmed the growing interest and engagement among project partners, academic institutions, and stakeholders.

The workshop provided a rich forum for knowledge exchange and visibility for local innovations led by LESLIE’s partner institutions in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The session featured ten technical presentations, showcasing applied research and case studies on topics such as:

– Circular economy approaches to whey waste and hydrocarbon byproducts.
– Geophysical impacts of climate change in urban areas.
– Women’s access to irrigation infrastructure as a driver of economic independence.
– Innovations in land-use mapping, biogas systems, and cold storage technologies for agriculture.

The event was chaired by Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri (UPV) in Part 1, and by Eleni Toxqui (UCY) in Part 2. A highlight was the presentation by Dr. Rodrigo-Ilarri, project coordinator, who outlined the broader scope and achievements of LESLIE as an exemplary Erasmus+ CBHE initiative in the region.

Participants actively engaged in the Q&A sessions and many expressed interest in joining the SLM International Hub, with 172 new applications received during the workshop. The workshop also featured contributions from faculty and young researchers from:

– Sh. Ualikhanov Kokshetau University (KOKSU)
– Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KAZNU)
– Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University (AYU)
– CAREC – Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia
– Fergana Polytechnic Institute (FPI)
– TIIAME National Research University
– Bukhara State University (BSU)
– International Agriculture University (IAU)

Importantly, all participants will receive a Certificate of Participation issued by the LESLIE project coordinator, recognizing their engagement and contribution to the project’s objectives.

This successful workshop demonstrates LESLIE’s effectiveness in creating meaningful academic-business linkages, building capacity, and enhancing the visibility of innovative land and environmental management practices.

Javier Rodrigo