Moldovan agriculture ministry's leadership participates in United Nations Conference on Desertification

Chisinau, 10 September /MOLDPRES/ - Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Minister Georgeta Mincu on 9-11 September takes part in the 14th conference of the states participating in the United Convention to Combat Desertification, held in New Delhi (India).  

The main subjects tackled at the Conference deal with the problems of climate changes, fighting desertification, drought and degradation of lands.

"Increased attention will be paid to issues on the desertification/degradation of lands, including drought, with such branches developed as soil, climate and renewable energy; rural and urban communities; progress and regress; promotion of a global movement for the re-establishment of the ecosystem; approach based on values as to the lands’ management; a sound soil with healthy people; increase in the chain of sustainable values for the business related to soils,” Georgeta Mincu said.  

According to the minister, given that the event is focused on aspects dealing with the well-being of residents and economic opportunities, the participants expect the meeting to politically boost the sides’ discussions, which are to subsequently stimulate the enforcement of the Convention nationally.   

Officials from about 200 countries participate in the event: representatives of national, regional and local governments, scientific and research communities, private sector, international and non-governmental organizations, etc.  

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was created in 1994. Moldova joined UNCCD in 1998.   

The desertification is a global problem, with serious implications at the world level as to the biodiversity, ecologic security, combating poverty, social and economic stability and sustainable development and is quite topical for Moldova too. The latest data shows that about 40 per cent of the farmlands have eroded soils of different degrees in Moldova at present: poorly eroded – 23.2 per cent, moderately eroded – 11.7 per cent and strongly eroded – 4.9 per cent. Each year, the area of eroded soils increases by an average of 0.9 per cent and the annual losses of fertile soil are estimated at 26 million tons.