Programme Officer: Currently 80% of Armenian lands desertificated and lost biological activity

Tbilisi. 2 May. REPORT.AZ/ "Less degradation process in the South Caucasus is observed in the territory of Azerbaijan".

Report informs, Sadig Salmanov, Chief of Forest Development Department of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and National Coordinator of the Convention to Combat Desertification for Azerbaijan told a media seminar in Tbilisi for environmental reporters on neutralization of soil degradation in the South Caucasus.

He said that currently, 23% of Azerbaijani lands has degraded: "20% of these lands accounts for agricultural lands. Land degradation leads to poverty of the population living in rural areas. Analysis shows that there are still problems. Unsystematic cattle grazing, improper use of irrigation systems, modern agricultural techniques result in degradation and salinization of lands".

Jamal Annagylyjova, Programme Officer, Central and Eastern Europe at United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, said that drought in the South Caucasus countries causes serious damage to agriculture. According to her, currently, 80% of Armenian lands undergoing desertification and loss of biological activity: "35% of Georgian territory is at risk of desertification".