DUSHANBE, 19.12.2022 (NIAT Khovar) – The European Union Integrated Rural Development Project/ TRIGGER in cooperation with FAO supported the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan and the State Design Institute for Land Management «Tojikzaminsoz» in conducting a two-day Scientific and Practical Symposium dedicated to the annual celebration of the World Soil Day. The Symposium gathered 50 participants including local authorities, public and international organisations, scientists, academics and international experts in soil management and farmers.

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. Jabbor Nosirzoda, noted that soil degradation and salinization as well as inefficient use of soil are a common problem of all humanity.

World Soil Day 2022 (#WorldSoilDay) campaign «Soils: Where food begins» aims to raise awareness of the importance of soil nutrient and fertility loss, which have drastically decreased over the last 70 years. Soil is a crucial living resource that needs to be preserved. Its fertility is the most important factor in crop production. Soil contains more than 25% of our planet’s biodiversity and provides humanity with 95% of food. As a matter of fact, healthy soil is the foundation for healthy food, help against the climate change, as well as store and filter water.

“As we all know healthy soils and healthy seeds are the basis for producting healthy food.  However, the facts and figures show that land and soil degradation already effect over 20 percent of the world’s population”, stated Mr. Wulf-Hendrik Goretzky, Project Director of the Integrated Rural Development Project/ TRIGGER, “income of farmers and food security are at high risk of being affected by the continuous of degradation of soil resources”

The Project and its partners presented activities on soil management and conservation, including the results of 2 demo-plots on: 1) Production of potato by the method of giving organic fertilizers through the root and the method of leaf feeding and 2) Pest control in potato fields using pesticides and organic solutions in Rasht Valley by PO DCBR in Jirgital district. The Project partner – MSDSP shared successful experience on increasing soil fertility through production and use of bio-humus in Zarafshon Valley.

“Life on Earth depends on healthy soil and soil is put under the pressure for many human activities and human activities that are also economic activities.”, as noted by Mr. Giuseppe Aristei, Head of Water Component, EU, “Not protecting the soil will have huge economic costs and the cost of prevention is much lower than the costs of remediation”.

On the second day, the State Design Institute for Land Management «Tojikzaminsoz» presented its services for comprehensive soil analysis through a practical demonstration of soil analysis in the laboratory. The demonstration followed by a practical training on soil sample conducted by the specialists of «Tojikzaminsoz».

The Integrated Rural Development Project (IRDP)/ Towards Rural Inclusive Growth and Economic Resilience (TRIGGER)` is a joint project of the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to boost the added value of agricultural production in Tajikistan by improving water security and sustainability, enhancing the productivity of selected value chains, supporting market development, export readiness, enterprise promotion and economic policy advice. For further details, please contact: Sharofat Ashurova at sharofat.ashurova@giz.de, telephone number +992 987270046.