Turkmenabad, 20-21 September 2018: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with the participation of an international expert, conducted a two-day training on "Monitoring and Evaluation of Irrigated Land Degradation" in the agro-information center of the etrap Danev. This event is held within the framework of the joint UNDP project and the State Committee for Environmental Protection and Land Resources of Turkmenistan "Supporting climate resilient livelihoods in agricultural communities in drought-prone areas of Turkmenistan"

The main objectives of the event were an overview of planning for sustainable agriculture and issues related to the degradation of irrigated land, as well as discussion of rules for monitoring and assessing the degradation of irrigated land with the participation of local farmers.

The international expert of UNDP demonstrated to the participants of the training the software, allowing to plan sustainable agriculture into context of climate changes and shared practical recommendations on the introduction of an improved monitoring plan.

In the practical part of the training, the participants assessed the availability of fields with an observation well beyond the level and salinity of groundwater, including an assessment of weed infestation fields.

UNDP, jointly with national partners, is actively working to improve agricultural productivity. The replication potential of successful efficient water management and climate resilient practices and of new climate-friendly sectoral planning, legislative and capacity development measures would indirectly benefit around 40,000 people in Turkmenistan, of which around 50% would be women.