Land Restoration and Drought Resilience: Outcomes of the International Conference in Volgograd

On 30 October 2026, Volgograd hosted the plenary session of the international scientific and practical conference “Land Restoration and Drought Resilience: From Strategic Decisions to Practical Results”. Discussions addressed international cooperation, the application of scientific research and practical measures to combat land degradation and desertification.

The conference was organised at the initiative of Ruslan Edelgeriyev, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation and Special Presidential Representative for Climate and Water Resources, jointly with the Volgograd regional authorities. Its main venue was the Federal Scientific Centre for Agroecology, Integrated Land Reclamation and Protective Afforestation of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

Participants included Yasmine Fouad, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); Andrey Bocharov, Governor of Volgograd Region; Alexander Belyaev, Director of the Federal Scientific Centre for Agroecology; and representatives of relevant government agencies from Russia, Uzbekistan, Egypt and Senegal, research organisations and the business community. The plenary session took place in the studio of the Volgograd-TRV state television and radio company on Mamayev Kurgan.

A key outcome was the announcement that work had begun to develop a joint international project to restore degraded land and strengthen drought resilience. According to Ruslan Edelgeriyev, the project will be developed through the Russian hub of the Business4Land initiative, in cooperation with the UNCCD Secretariat. The official statement described it as the first project of its kind.

The project envisages applying Russian scientific and technological solutions in one of the interested countries facing desertification, soil degradation and water scarcity. Yasmine Fouad emphasised the importance of science-based approaches and stronger international cooperation in this area.

Andrey Bocharov presented the region’s experience. He proposed resuming a full-scale programme to establish state protective forest belts, drawing on the experience of Soviet scientists and the ideas of Vasily Dokuchaev. The Governor expressed Volgograd Region’s readiness to serve as a pilot region for implementing such a plan. The region is restoring forest belts planted in the mid-20th century in cooperation with Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Priority measures included improving water supply to drylands, restoring forests and shelterbelts, returning unused land to agricultural production, introducing drought-resistant plant varieties and developing biological farming practices. According to the regional figures presented, the area of agricultural land improved through reclamation measures had tripled over the preceding 12 years, exceeding 100,000 hectares.

Particular attention was devoted to a project to provide additional water to the Volga–Akhtuba floodplain, developed jointly with RAS. It envisages the construction of a complex of hydraulic structures, including a diversion channel. According to regional authorities, its implementation is expected to improve the floodplain’s ecological condition and create additional opportunities for crop and livestock production, recreation and tourism.

The conference provided a practical follow-up to discussions at the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in Moscow, including the session on land restoration and drought resilience. At the Volgograd meeting, participants focused on examining technologies and developing joint initiatives to put the strategic agenda into practice. The three-day programme included scientific sessions, lectures and round tables involving Russian and international specialists.

📌 Source: Official website of the President of the Russian Federation