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Center for Natural Resources and Sustainability DKU

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  • Liang Xiao


  • Liebelt Peter

    Knowledge-based soil management for a sustainable ecological and economic development of Central Asia

    Year: 2022

    Collections: Policy Briefs

    Topics: Agriculture, Sustainable Development

    Authors: Guggenberger Georg, Shibistova Olga, Liebelt Peter, Muminjanov Hafiz, Kassam Amir, Friedrich Theodor

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan

    Source:

    Soil degradation is widespread and cross-border in Central Asia with multiple symptoms. This impairs the provision of ecosystem services, including food production, climate change mitigation, biodiversity, and human health. The soil health concept links soil management to broader sustainable development goals. Soil knowledge and its application has to be invigorated, for instance by establishing a Central Asian Soil Competence Network.


    GIS technologies and modelling approaches for more sustainable management of natural resources

    Year: 2024

    Collections: Policy Briefs

    Topics: Sustainable Development, Management

    Authors: Usman Muhammad, Liebelt Peter, Catalin Stefan, Klara Dzhakypbekova

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

    Source:

    The question of suitable approaches and technologies for more effective and environmentally friendly management of natural resources has great relevance for the countries of Central Asia in the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the wide range of natural resources, Central Asia is still facing increasing land degradation and water scarcity. These problems are being accelerated by land-use pressure and climate change, which is particularly severe in Central Asia. The following recommendations are developed together with scientists from international projects on the use of GIS technologies and modelling approaches for more sustainable resource management.



  • Litvak Rafael


  • Lynette de Silva


  • Maiwand Omary

    Groundwater quality assessment using water quality index and geospatial tools: Kabul Province case study

    Year: 2024

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Water

    Authors: Maiwand Omary, Mohammad Najim Nasimi, Mohammad Nasim Nasimi

    Countries: Afghanistan

    Source: https://water-ca.org

    This study aimed to evaluate the suitability of Kabul Province’s groundwater for drinking by way of analyzing the data collected from 34 ground monitoring wells. The purpose was helped through the assessment of a set of groundwater physico-chemical parameters (pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS); sulfate, fluoride, nitrate, and boron content; total hardness (TH) as calcium carbonate, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and total iron), as well as the determination of the Water Quality Index (WQI) developed based on sampling the water points located in the districts of Kabul Province and Kabul City in the course of 3 years (2018 to 2020) to provide a clear and concise representation of water quality status, and cat-egorize groundwater into different quality classes ranging from “excellent” to “unsuitable for drinking”. Moreover, the spatial distribution of WQI and 12 physico-chemical parameter values was mapped using the Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) Interpolation in Arcmap 10.7 environment, revealing distinct water quality patterns across the study area. The water qual-ity testing outcomes under this investigation show compliance of multiple water contaminant concentrations with the World Health Organization (WHO) Water Quality Guidelines and Afghanistan National Drinking Water Quality Standards (ANDWQS). The WQI values range between 27.5 and 112 (as per ANDWQS) and between 33 and 127.5 (as per WHO Guide-lines); the WQI (WHO) display 9% and WQI (ANDWQS) display 3% of groundwater unsuit-able for drinking. Spatial variation maps (IDW Interpolation) demonstate that turbidity, TDS, TH, and magnesium concentration values for the provinces’s central and eastern sec-tions exceed the permissible thresholds. The study’s findings underscore the need for target-ed groundwater management strategies, including pollution control and regular monitoring, to safeguard water quality and public health in Kabul Province.


    PV-RO drinking water filtration system: case of Qala-e-Gulbaz Village, Kabul Province

    Year: 2025

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Water, Climate

    Authors: Maiwand Omary

    Countries: Afghanistan

    Source: https://water-ca.org

    Pollution and over-exploitation of groundwater aquifers in Kabul Province have led to deteriorated water quality and decreased quantity. In its turn, these have caused elevation of physical, chemical, and biological contaminant concentrations in the province’s groundwater beyond national and international drinking water quality standards. The article describes the outcomes of a pilot photovoltaic reverse osmosis (PV-RO) system for drinking water treatment in Qala-e-Gulbaz Village, Kabul Province, Afghanistan. The main system’s components include PV solar panels, three dosing pumps, two alternative current pumps, two alternative-to-direct-current inverters, sand and carbon filters, two sediment filters, one ultra-violet filter, two water flow meters, and a complete water supply distribution system. The study was assisted by the Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR) ground monitoring well (GMW) system; quality analysis of different physical, chemical, and biological parameters of raw and filtered water samples; measuring filtered water and wastewater flow rates; determining associated limitations and pressures; as well as valuating different related expenses during cost per capita calculations. Water quality testing has shown the system’s removal efficiency of 97% for salinity, 97% for total dissolved solids, above 90% for other chemicals (anions & cations), 65.52% for turbidity, and 100% for bacteria. The plant’s mean quantity efficiency has amounted to 50%. The study highlights certain key challenges including high initial cost, significant wastewater volume, and need for professional operators leading to high operational and maintenance expenditures, with the initial system’s cost per capita of USD79.54. Therefore, under the condition of optimizing efficiency, improving wastewater management, reducing original costs, implementing training programs, and developing the necessary policy framework PV-RO water treatment systems represent a viable alternative.



  • Makhmudova L.

    Anthropogenic Impacts in the Yesil River Basin

    Year: 2023

    Collections: Research Paper

    Topics: Water

    Authors: Makhmudova L., Mussina A., Ospanova M., Zharylkassyn A., Kanatuly A.

    Countries: Kazakhstan

    Source: Central Asian Journal of Water Research

    The research aimed to assess the impact of human economic activities on the Yesil River Basin based on the observational data contained in Kazhydromet’s (Republic State Enterprise, RSE) hydrometeorological periodicals of 1933-2019. The additional analysis of numerous sources – statistics digests, online data of the Bureau of National Statistics under the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan (RK), monographs and scientific papers also allowed to reliably evaluate the overall water consumption in the country.



  • Manuel Andresh

    Hydrogen production in Kazakhstan and Trans-Caspian Hydrogen Transportation

    Year: 2024

    Collections: Policy Briefs

    Topics: Energy

    Authors: Kobzev A., Manuel Andresh, Abylaikhan Soltanayev, Nurbek Yessetov

    Countries: Kazakhstan

    Source:



  • Martens Patrick

    The political economy of water insecurity in Central Asia given the Belt and Road initiative

    Year: 2018

    Collections: Scientific Publications

    Topics: Water, Sustainable Development

    Authors: Martens Patrick

    Countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan

    Source: Central Asian Journal of Water Research



  • Martina Klimes

    Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy

    Year: 2025

    Collections: Books

    Topics: Water, Climate, Sustainable Development, Management, Water diplomacy, Water governance Gender, IWRM, Agriculture, Irrigation,

    Authors: Shafiqul Islam, Kevin Smith, Martina Klimes, Aaron Salzberg

    Countries: N/A

    Source: Routledge

    The Routledge Handbook of Water Diplomacy is a comprehensive guide to understanding and practicing water diplomacy – a framework for building relationships, negotiating shared interests, and managing complex water challenges across physical, political, and societal boundaries.



  • Martin-Luther


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