Bulat Utemuratov Foundation Launches Еnvironmental Project to Restore the Aral Seabed in Kazakhstan

• UC Berkeley, IFAS and Korkyt Ata University join the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation to pilot innovative E-seed technology on the dried Aral seabed

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bulat Utemuratov Foundation has launched an environmental project to restore the Aral seabed ecosystem, one of the world's most affected ecological zones.

The project brings together the University of California, Berkeley, the Executive Directorate of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) in Kazakhstan and Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University. The official launch was marked by the signing of a four-party memorandum of cooperation between the partners.

Once the world's fourth-largest inland lake, the Aral Sea has lost around 90% of its area, leaving behind vast salt marshes that release toxic dust and pesticide residues carried thousands of kilometers by the wind, reaching as far as the Arctic and the Himalayas. This dust continues to contaminate soil, water and air, posing risks to human health and food security across the wider region.

The Foundation's pilot project aims to support long-term restoration of the Aral seabed ecosystem through field testing of UC Berkeley's innovative E-seed technology. The method uses drones to distribute self-burying seeds in biodegradable material, enabling rapid and large-scale planting with higher seed survival rates and minimal labor costs.

"The Aral Sea is one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. We are launching a project to help limit salt and toxic dust, reduce health risks, and advance sustainable restoration of the Aral seabed. This technology can be applied in different environments, potentially supporting the restoration of degraded land and reforestation in areas affected by desertification or wildfires," said Ainur Karbozova, CEO of the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation.

A test planting on a one-hectare site will begin in March-April 2026. If survival rates exceed 20%, the second phase in 2027 will expand planting across 50 hectares of the dried seabed. By 2040, it aims to stabilize the ecosystem and improve the microclimate. The pilot project cost is estimated at USD 600,000.

The project supports Kazakhstan's chairmanship of the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) for 2024-2026 under President Tokayev, which prioritizes expanding green spaces across more than one million hectares of the dried seabed.

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