Uzbekistan and IAEA Launch Joint Project to Combat Soil Salinization

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Soil Composition, Repository, and Quality Analysis Center under Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Agriculture have launched a joint research project aimed at developing sustainable farming methods and reducing soil salinity, Dunyo reports.

Over the next five years, a field experiment will be conducted in the country using a cotton–wheat–corn crop rotation system with the application of polyhalite—an innovative natural fertilizer rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

The use of advanced agricultural technologies is expected to improve soil fertility, increase crop yields, and provide farmers with practical recommendations.

The project is regarded as an important step in strengthening scientific and practical cooperation between Uzbekistan and the IAEA, as well as a contribution to addressing one of the country’s most pressing environmental challenges—land salinization.

It is worth noting that the expansion of cooperation in this field was discussed during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Tashkent in December 2024.