Turkmenistan, 27 August 2024 – A training workshop for pasture users and representatives of local authorities was held in the village of Bokurdak, Ahal velayat, under a joint project of the Scientific-Information Center of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development (SIC ICSD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on the development of a Comprehensive Plan for the Restoration of Degraded Desert Pastures of the Central Karakum and Their Sustainable Management under Increasing Drought Conditions.
The main objective of the training was to enhance participants’ knowledge and skills in the field of sustainable pasture management in the context of climate change and limited water resources. The workshop brought together local pasture users, representatives of local authorities, as well as experts in ecology and agriculture.
Opening the training, Project Manager Mr. Mukhammet Durikov welcomed participants and emphasized the importance of cooperation to achieve the project’s goals. Project experts discussed pressing challenges such as pasture degradation, climate change, and water scarcity, and presented approaches to ecosystem restoration and the sustainable use of natural resources.
Particular attention was given to methods for assessing and monitoring pasture conditions, as well as recommendations for the rational use of land and water resources. Participants actively discussed climate change adaptation measures, including rotational grazing practices, the development of irrigation systems, and the introduction of innovative water-saving technologies.
Traning workshop of pasture users. Photocredit to SIC ICSD
The key highlight of the workshop was the presentation of the Comprehensive Pasture Restoration Plan, which foresees the establishment of a dedicated Pasture Management Committee, the inventory of livestock and water resources, and measures for the rehabilitation of degraded lands. As a result of the discussions, participants expressed their readiness to implement the proposed measures.
During the training, participants analyzed existing challenges and developed proposals to improve the implementation of the plan, including the need for external support for the construction and rehabilitation of water facilities, as well as for the establishment of nurseries of desert plants.
In his closing remarks, Project Manager Mr. Mukhammet Durikov thanked the participants for their active engagement and stressed the importance of continued cooperation for sustainable pasture management and the preservation of natural resources in the region.
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The training was organized under the joint project “Comprehensive Plan for the Restoration of Degraded Desert Pastures of the Central Karakum and Their Sustainable Management under Increasing Drought Conditions” of SIC ICSD/IFAS and FAO, implemented in support of the FAO–GEF project “Integrated Natural Resources Management in Drought-Prone and Salt-Affected Agricultural Production Landscapes in Central Asia and Turkey (CACILM-2)” (GCP/SEC/293/GFF).
The event supports the achievement of:
| Priority Area of REP4SD No 5 dedicated to SDG 15: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” |
| 5.1.2 capacity-building for sustainable management of forests, land, and pastures. |