82% OF ARMENIA’S TERRITORY SUBJECT TO DESERTIFICATION OF VARIOUS DEGREES

Noyan Tapan
Oct 26, 2007

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. About 82% of Armenia’s territory is
subject to desertification of various degrees, Ashot Vardevanian, the
person in charge of implementation of the United Nations Convention on
the Fight against Desertification in Armenia, stated at the October
26 press conference. According to him, such factors as illegal
deforestation and cattle overpasturing contribute to desertification.

A. Vardevanian said that the convention members, including Armenia,
are divided into two groups: donor and damaged countries. Armenia is
considered a damaged country so a national action plan on the fight
against desertification was developed and has been implemented in
the country since 2002. A number of measures, including the program
on natural resource management and poverty reduction and the program
on restoration of the irrigation system, are being taken within the
framework of this action plan.

It was mentioned that arid lands occupy about 40% of our planet or
6.1 billion ha, with one fifth of the world’s population living there.