Azerbaijan, Baku, June 22 / Trend M.Aliyev /
Improving animal husbandry could prevent desertification, the Azerbaijani Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry's Ecological and Environmental Policies Department head Rasim Sattarzade told Trend.
"Desertification is associated with pastures. Using them improperly leads to desertification," he said.
Some 3.7 million hectares of land in Azerbaijan are subject to erosion and 1.2 million hectares of soil are affected by high salinity.
Sattarzade stressed that under a state program to rationally use summer and winter pastures and grasslands and prevent desertification, the ministry is working with the Agriculture Ministry and the State Committee for Land and Cartography to resolve these problems.
"Improving soil fertility and livestock development and protecting biodiversity should lead to sustainable development," he said.
Sattarzade also noted that soil erosion, soil salinization and a loss of topsoil are all still widely observed in the country.
"Local residents should also conduct certain activities to prevent desertification as a result of improper irrigation," National Center for Ecological Forecasting Director Telman Zeynalov told Trend.
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