Tajikistan is one of the world's most exposed regions to the effects of climate change, and its poor, rural farming communities are particularly vulnerable.
00:00The apricot farmers of Tajikistan are worried about the future now as climate
00:09change threatens Central Asia's vital fruit harvest. The country is one of the
00:14world's most exposed regions to the effects of climate change and its poor
00:18rural farming communities are particularly vulnerable.
00:21Uktam Kwezev is one of more than 100,000 people employed in Tajikistan's apricot
00:27industry, a historic occupation across the mountains and valleys in the north of
00:31the landlocked country. 10% of all the world's orchards are located here
00:36according to United Nations data. But mild winters, melting glaciers, late frosts and
00:41water scarcity all pose challenges to cultivation in Tajikistan's apricot
00:46capital of Isfara.
00:48At street markets in Isfara vendors sell buckets of fresh apricots next to piles of glistening red cherries, while on roadsides dried fruits are sold
01:06from giant sandbags. Tajikistan classifies the fruit as a strategic product with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.
01:25Apricot cultivation is very important economically and socially as it creates jobs and improves the standard of living of the population.
01:31When I was called, it became an assistant of the productivity of theััะฒะตะฝะฝัะน farming program.
01:37At a time of business, I was really interested in helping the plants grow as a healthy communities.
01:38When I was a part of the opening, I was originally working for the plant for the long-term survival,
01:45we worked with a variety of plants that are divided into the environment.
01:50Even if there's one of the plants that are filled with good plants, we have to through their lives.
01:55The plant is a big part of the plant.
02:00The plant is a big part of the plant and the plant is a big part of the plant.
02:08To make our work, we have to say that in the years of the year of the year of the year,
02:16there was no water, we had to use the water.
02:21In this case, I would like to say that the black oil will be used as a result of the black oil.
02:31The black oil will be used as a result of the black oil.
02:37The black oil will be used as a result of the black oil.
02:42So important is the furry orange fruit to the local economy that a giant monument to it has been erected in the middle of Isfara city.
02:49But chronic water shortages and shrinking levels in the Isfara river shared by Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are disrupting both the industry and a way of life.
03:00But we have to understand the story about this.
03:07We have to understand the story about the government.
03:12The government has also changed in the region, and also the country has added to the Turkish economy and Uzbekistan.
03:18Lack of water is not the only problem faced by farmers.
03:34Paradoxically, bouts of heavy rain are also an issue, causing the fruit to grow with thorns
03:40or spots on its skin, which reduces its market value.
03:45Drastic temperature swings pose another problem.
03:48The devastation of Turkey's 2025 apricot harvest by cold weather has worried Tajikistan's
03:53farmers.
03:54We have a lot of water and water, and we have a lot of water.
04:08Water fees were hiked 150% last year, something Tajikistan said was necessary to improve infrastructure
04:14and balance usage from the river across the three countries.
04:18With an average national salary of just $260 a month, adaptation is both costly and complex
04:25for family farmers, who have for decades relied on the fruit to boost their incomes.
04:31Climate change is clearly making that safety net look increasingly fragile.
