XIEG Participates in International Conference on Innovative Technologies in the Aral Sea Region

An international conference on Innovative Techniques and Technologies for the Development of Agriculture in the Conditions of Climate Change and Water Scarcity in the Aral Sea Region was held in Nukus, Uzbekistan, on March 12. Prof. DUAN Weili, Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography (XIEG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Prof. WANG Ping attended the event.

The conference focused on agricultural sustainability amid the ecological crisis in the Aral Sea region, featuring keynote speeches and thematic sessions by experts from multiple countries. Discussions centered on topics including water resource management, saline-alkali land improvement, and the application of water-saving agricultural technologies.

In a virtual address, DUAN Weili invited institutions and researchers engaged in Aral Sea ecological restoration to join the International Program for Sustainable Development of Aral Sea Region initiated by XIEG, which has been included among the first batch of programs endorsed by the UN International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD). He also encouraged participating institutions to recommend outstanding young scholars to pursue doctoral degrees in Xinjiang, jointly strengthening talent development in the Aral Sea region.

As a keynote speaker, WANG Ping shared XIEG’s technological achievements and practical experience in water-saving agriculture in arid regions, saline-alkali land improvement, and agrivoltaics, and outlined tailored technical approaches and cooperation proposals for the Aral Sea region.

Absattarov Niyetbay, Rector of the Karakalpakstan Institute of Agriculture and Agrotechnologies, noted the importance of international cooperation in supporting ecological restoration and agricultural development in theAral Sea region, and expressed interest in deepening collaboration with XIEG in areas such as agricultural technology and ecological restoration to advance sustainable agriculture in the region.

During his visit to XIEG last year, the two sides reached agreements on expanding cooperation in joint research projects, co-authored publications, and student training. Moving forward, XIEG will continue to strengthen scientific and technological cooperation with Central Asian partners in agro-ecology, contributing Chinese expertise to support ecological security and agricultural development in the Aral Sea region.

Contact

LONG Huaping

Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: longhp@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Web: http://english.egi.cas.cn