Muscat, The Regional Conference towards Healthy Soils for the Near East and North Africa kicked off here today.
The two-day event addresses the Global Soil Partnership Programme and the significance of soil health in the context of water scarcity and climate change in the NENA.
Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al Bakri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources for Agriculture, said in a statement that the workshop is organized by the Ministry in cooperation with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
He added that the workshop is a step forward in a project to build capacities for the sustainable management of soil resources, analyse and evaluate laboratories used in the fields of soil, assess the efforts made in maintaining soil quality and the probable impact of climate change on soil.
Eng. Hasna Mohammed Al Harthi, FAO Assistant Representative in Oman, said that the workshop explores partnership and cooperation between countries and stakeholders in the NENA region.
She added that the workshop also looks into ways of rallying efforts to generate financial resources for supporting the sustainable management of soil and water.
Eng. Hasna pointed out that the workshop offers a unique opportunity to discuss the future of soil health in the NENA region and agree on joint strategies to avoid the duplication of efforts in this regard.
Source: Oman News Agency