Сборник
докладов конференции в Стамбуле 20-22 октября 1993г.
EDUCATION FIRST
by Temurleng Mollaev (Turkmenistan)
Dashxovuz region is known as a part of the Aral disaster
zone. It's true, but we must to take into account that independent
Turkmenistan has a new chance to leave the ecology impasse. For
example, the Turkmenbashi's decree "About development of horticulture"
has initiated the unprecedented campaign of planting trees. Independence
compels us to become owners and feel responsible for the future
of our land.
I have been working in this region for forty years,
at first as agriculturist-melioratist, later as agrichemist. I'm
remembering two periods of history of agriculture in Turkmenistan:
from 1960 to 1965 when many investments were being made for development
of agriculture, and after 1965 when commands and control were put
in place of material-technical support.
Command style of management dominated this latter period both in
the production and in the science. The Academy of science was transformed
into a closed, unproductive system. At the same time ecological
education was moved to the last place.
You know that irrigation and use of chemicals changed
agriculture radically. Since then we have seen huge damage from
the faulty application of chemical materials and irrational use
of the water. Many people and even specialists now haven't even
an elementary understanding of ecological sciences. In this situation
even correct governmental decisions could not stop the ecological
disaster, because only own opinion can forces every
farmer to work without destruction of Earth.
Our country needs general ecological education, but
what can we do as the heavy tradition of totalitarianism influences
us? Old guard government considers ecology to be not so important
as independence, and young people do not want to participate in
environmental work because it is non-profit business.
It seems to me, the non-profit ecological organizations
can begin this work by support of foreign founds. Though the governmental
bodies have not yet a possibilities to organize and finance the
ecology education on a enough, I'm sure they will support the NGO's
in this important activity.
Dashxovuz Ecological Club was formed as a grassroots
non-governmental group only one year ago, but some experts of the
Club have a experiense of many years desseminating of ecological
knowledge. Taking into account this experiense our project of eco-education
proposes the studies of ecology principles and rational agriculture
in all collective farms of Dashxovuz region. We hope this project
will favour the normalizing of ecological situation in region and
production of the ecologicaly clean foodstuffs. Full cost of the
project per two years - US$ 8000, we have an own means for US$ 6000
and need US$ 2000. We addressed the representaives of the US Agency
for International Development in Central Asia (the project "The
Seeds of Democracy") to finance the project, but we are ready
to receive aid from different funds. In future we would like to
open non-commercial School of Horticulture, Club for young naturalists
and People University of Nature Protection and also the issue the
book of Nature Protection Laws of Turkmenistan. The Club will also
support the development of foreign scientific and ecological tourism.
To conclude I would like to thank the organizers
of this conference and to stress that only thanks to united efforts
we can preserve our Earth.
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