On July 8, 2024, a delegation led by Mr. Shamammet Saryhanov, Head of the Forestry Administration, Ministry of Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, visited the APFNet Secretariat. The meeting was around pragmatic exchanges on landscape restoration in the Aral Sea region, sand/dune stabilization along roads, medicinal plant cultivation, tree crop planting such as almonds and olives, and belt/shelter forest plantation establishment. 

The meeting was followed by a study visit from 9-11 July to Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China (hereafter referred to as “Ningxia” ), where the delegation visited the Ningxia Greening Deserts and Sand Resource-based Industry Development Foundation, the Baijitan Desertification Control Project sites, the Yellow River Desertification Control Project sites, and the Bairuiyuan Wolfberry Production Base, and had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Wang Youde, a hero of combating desertification with the national honorary title of "people's role model", whose story of decades in combating desertification are widely shared. The delegation also learned about innovative technologies and achievements in desertification control in Ningxia.

Turkmenistan delegate learns to build up a grass grid for sand fixation

Given the similarities of climate and landscape conditions in Turkmenistan and Ningxia, Mr. Shamammet Saryhanov noted the visit very valuable by presenting ideas that have inspired his work and approaches and practices that could be duplicated in Turkmenistan. He expected more profound exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese counterparts to jointly respond to environmental challenges and safeguard ecosystems in the Greater Central Asia. 

The delegation visits the National Desertification Prevention and Control Exhibition Hall