On March 11, a combined introductory seminar was held at the capital's "Yyldyz" hotel on the projects of the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan to protect wheat and cotton crops, which were launched in March of this year.

In addition to the agricultural department, the country's Ministry of Environmental Protection, the State Concern "Türkmenpagta" and the State Association "Türkmengallaönümleri" are involved in the events. The seminar brought together scientists, managers and employees of three research institutes - grain growing, agriculture and cotton growing, as well as biologists from the National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna under the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The leading technical advisor of the projects from FAO, an expert of the Regional Office of this organization for Europe and Central Asia, Artur Shamilov, who was present at the meeting, presented to those gathered the goals and upcoming tasks, technological and technical possibilities for their implementation in the soil and climatic conditions of Turkmenistan.

Representatives of the country's agrobiological sciences spoke about the work of their scientific institutions, expressed their wishes, exchanged opinions, and held consultations on the planned project activities, which are designed for a two-year period - until the end of 2026.

Among the speakers from the Turkmen side was the head of the production department of the Plant Protection Service, Meylis Malikmuhamedov, who reported on the greening of the process of agricultural production of strategic crops by treating crops with the participation of entomophages - beneficial insects that suppress the reproduction of pests at different stages of their development.

In addition to the first consultations, a number of meetings of the FAO representative in organizations that will join the scientific and technical events of the grain and cotton projects are planned for the current week in Ashgabat. In particular, on March 12, an initiative scientific and technical group visited the city of Anev, where perennial selection fruit plantings remain on the scientific base, and the construction of a new laboratory building for scientific research of two research institutes - agriculture and grain growing - is underway.

During the excursion and inspection of elite plantings of grapes and pomegranates, consultations and exchange of ideas took place. Before the end of the week, there will also be a trip to the Mary velayat, specifically to the city of Yoloten, where experimental fields are located and the first varieties of cotton, primarily fine-fiber, were obtained.

The purpose of the trips is to select a location for organizing a pilot site where various methods and means for protecting crops from pests and plant diseases will be tested.