The President of Georgian Academy of Agricultural Sciences,
Academician Guram Aleksidze visits India
On February 11-14, in the city of Jodhpur, India, an International Scientific Conference 13th ICDD 2019, on the topic: “Development of Arid Regions and its Results” was held.
The slogan of the Conference was: Let’s change gray Area – into a green one.” The organizers of the Conference were: a Commission on Development of Dry lands together with Indian Association for Research of Arid Zones. The scientists from 200 countries took part in the work of the Conference; among them were well-known scholars, general directors of four international research centers.
Academician Guram Aleksidze made his presentation on “Climate Change and the strategy of limitation of its negative effects in Central Asia and South Caucasus countries” on the Session 1 – Impact of Climate Change in Dry lands. The report raised wide interests among the Conference participants, and the presenter answered the participants’ questions around the problem. Professor Adel El Beltagi, the leader of the Conference (former General Director of ICARDA, and Minister of Agriculture of Egypt) gave particularly high appreciation to the scientific approach shared by G. Aleksidze. 
Academician G. Aleksidze in his presentation dealt with nearly all important measures carried out in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirgizstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia to avoid negative effects of climate change.
It should be noted that, all above-mentioned countries have worked out the strategy to resist the spread of negative consequences of global warming. The measures recommended include cultivation and growing of the plants which are characterized by high level of resistance against high temperature, frosts, saline soils, and deforestation.
It is important to share the experience of those countries; from this point of view, the cooperation of Georgian and Turkish specialists working in the field of plant breeding is critical, and they will continue working to cultivate new breeds of wheat which will be resistant to draughts and diseases and implement them in Georgia. The researchers of two countries will continue working together to address the agricultural problems which are mutual for the two neighbor countries.
At the end of the Conference, a Declaration was adopted which gave particular recommendations on development of Agriculture in dry areas. The next conference will be held after two years.
