Climate change is widely believed to intensify desertification globally. This process will have serious implications worldwide for biodiversity, socioeconomic stability and sustainable development. But drylands, in particular arid and semi-arid regions, home to some 2bn people, are considered to be most vulnerable. As they become degraded, the impact on people, livestock and environment can be devastating.
People living in arid and semi-arid regions are already struggling to make an adequate living. Poverty and malnutrition are endemic. And population growth is making things worse. The Central Asian region is facing similar challenges as large swathes of land are classified as arid and semi-arid. As water gets scarcer, risks are growing. Livelihoods of pastoral and other communities are at stake.
All this calls for prompt collaborative and integrated efforts by policymakers, scientists and international development organizations. New approaches and policies are urgently needed. With this purpose in mind, the 2nd International Conference on Arid Land Studies (ICAL 2) on 'Food Security and Innovations in Arid and Semi-arid Agro-ecosystems' convenes in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on 9-13 September 2014.
The conference will serve as a comprehensive forum for exchange of novel knowledge and experience in combating desertification, including its scientific, political and socioeconomic dimensions.
ICAL 2 builds on the outcomes of the International Forum on Desert Technology X and the 1st International Conference on Arid Land Studies (ICAL 1), organized in May 2011 in Japan.
The conference will bring together a host of internationally recognized experts, senior scientists from international research organizations, policymakers and other stakeholders to share their knowledge and experience on agriculture and food security in arid and semi-arid regions; address a number of research and development opportunities for marginal water resources and lands to prevent salinization and promote sustainable management of natural resources; and offer best practices and technologies on soil improvement and optimization of crop production systems.
The conference is open to researchers and experts specializing in deserts and semi-desert regions. The event is organized with support from the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Education of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan, the Ecological Movement of Uzbekistan, the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the CGIAR Program for Sustainable Development of Agriculture in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CGIAR-CAC).
Plenary Meeting of the Eurasian Soil Partnership (EASP) http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership/regional-partnerships/europe/en/ will be held in conjunction with the International Conference on Arid Land Studies (ICAL2). It will take place on 10 September 2014 at the Samarkand State University, Uzbekistan. The main topic will been discussion and adoption of the Action Plan of the Partnership. The Eurasian Center for Food Security, serving as the Secretariat of EASP, is responsible for the program of the Plenary Meeting, which will be circulated in due course.
All the participants of the EASP Plenary Meeting are expected to fill in their Registration Forms. If they would also like to make a presentation at the International Conference on Arid Lands Studies, they must submit an Abstract, and upon their wish a full text paper, according to the instructions given on /events/ical
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR ABSTRACTS IS: June, 14, 2014
Submit abstract via e-mail to Dr. Kristina Toderich, Co-chairman, ICAL2: ktoderich@yahoo.com, ical2conf@gmail.com
Manuscripts
SUBMISSION DEADLINE FOR MANUSCRIPTS IS: August, 15, 2014
Submit manuscript via e-mail to Dr. Kristina Toderich, Co-chairman, ICAL2: ktoderich@yahoo.com, ical2conf@gmail.com
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