Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits the dried-up bottom of the Aral Sea

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev became familiar with the ongoing work on afforestation of the dried-up bottom of the Aral Sea.

The ecological and economic well-being of Karakalpakstan people and the vast region as a whole depends on solving this problem. Once upon a time, the sea and the rivers flowing into it, agricultural land provided people with work and income. But thoughtless interference with the laws of nature, the closure of watercourses along the Amudarya and Syrdarya led to one of the most serious environmental disasters in the world. This led to the desertification of the region, and salinization of soil. The flora and fauna suffered great damage.

In the current era of global warming and precipitation reduction, the chances of saving the Aral Sea are extremely small. The only way out is to preserve what is left, minimize the impact of the tragedy, and make people's lives easier.

The Head of the state has repeatedly addressed this issue at sessions of the UN General Assembly, put forward important proposals at international summits. At the same time, practical work is being carried out with the use of internal capabilities.

Millions of tons of dust and poisonous salts rose and spread far around from the dried bottom of the Aral Sea. During a trip to Muynak in 2018, Shavkat Mirziyoyev set the task of planting salinity-resistant plants on the bottom, taking into account the recommendations of scientists.

Today, the Head of the state was informed about the work carried out over the past time.

In recent years, tugai forests with an area of 1 million 524 thousand hectares have been planted on the dried-up bottom of the sea. In difficult natural conditions, it was possible to plant about 6 thousand tons of seeds of such desert plants as saxaul, buckwheat, kandym, cherkez. More than 4,000 workers and 1,600 equipment, including aircraft, were involved in the work.

This good deed continues. This year it is planned to afforest another 100 thousand hectares. Currently, work is underway on 26 thousand hectares, 562 tons of seeds have been harvested. A nursery with an area of 100 hectares is being created.

Here the President talked with ecologists and forestry experts.

“We have accumulated a lot of experience in creating plantings in such difficult conditions. I came here to continue this work based on a scientific approach”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

Instructions were given to expand scientific research, create plant varieties corresponding to the soil of the region and increase the area of tugai plantations.

It was instructed to develop a five-year national program for the restoration of the flora and fauna of the Aral Sea region.