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.

 
© , , Дашогуз-Ашхабад, Туркменистан, 2003 :: http://dec.ngo-tm.org