With support from the Swiss Government, the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic (Ministry) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) are launching a new phase of capacity strengthening for Ministry staff by initiating a specialized training on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Geospatial Hazard Mapping, scheduled for 10–18 November 2025.
Building on a series of theoretical and practical trainings conducted in 2023–2024, this year’s program will focus on applied practices. The training will introduce participants to synthetic aperture interferometry (InSAR) — a technique that uses radar signals from satellites to detect small changes in the Earth's surface — as well flood and mudflow forecasting modelling.
Through InSAR, Ministry staff will be able to analyze detailed “before and after” satellite images to determine if the ground has shifted, such as swelling before a flood or movement before a mudflow. Meanwhile, flood and mudflow forecasting modeling will enable experts to predict how much water will flow, how fast it will move, and where it will spread. In other words, these models help forecast water movement across land and simulate water flow in rivers and channels. This type of modeling is crucial for risk assessment and early warning systems, as it helps Ministry experts anticipate where floods and mudflows might occur and assess the potential danger to the population.
These sessions represent a logical continuation of earlier capacity-building efforts, including the hydrodynamic modeling of mudflow processes delivered in 2024. The upcoming training will further strengthen the Ministry’s ability to monitor, forecast, and respond to natural hazards, supporting the safety and resilience of communities across the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Kyrgyz Republic is highly vulnerable to natural hazards and ranks as the third most climate-vulnerable country in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Floods and mudflows are the most common hazards, accounting for nearly 40 percent of emergencies, with recent years showing a sharp increase in both frequency and economic losses. According to the Ministry of Emergency Situations, in 2024 alone, mudflows reached a 30-year peak, causing infrastructure damages of USD 14.5 million — representing 90 percent of all disaster-related material damages that year.
For more information about the project and WFP, please contact: Almaz Tchoroev, Communications Officer, tel: +996 550 577 597, email: almaz.tchoroev@wfp.org