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WASAG - The Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture

Joint INSAS/WASAG Webinar "Saline agriculture: addressing the challenge of soil and water salinity in a drier and salty future"

Virtual Event, 16/12/2025

Soil and water salinization is a growing global threat that undermines food security, biodiversity, and livelihoods. It is closely linked to climate change, land degradation, and desertification. To address these challenges, FAO’s International Network of Salt-Affected Soils (INSAS), the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) and several partners have joined forces to foster collaboration and raise awareness on the importance of sustainable management of saline soils and waters.

This joint webinar will be a science-policy dialogue building on the outcomes of the draft policy brief “Addressing the challenge of soil and water salinity through collaborative action,” which consolidates insights from discussions held at different Conferences of the Parties of the UNFCCC, CBD, and UNCCD between 2021 and 2024.

Watch the recording here

 

Agenda

12:00–12:10

Opening Remarks

Lifeng Li, Director, Land and Water Division, FAO

Jorge Batlle-Sales, Chair, INSAS

12:10–12:25

Addressing the challenge of soil and water salinity through collaborative action

Katarzyna Negacz, Vrije University Amsterdam

12.25–12.30

Integrating soil and water salinity management into investment plans

Narayan Iyer, Principal Natural Resources and Agriculture Specialist (Agribusiness), Asian Development Bank

12.30–12.40

Innovation in saline agriculture

Ganga Rao Nadigatla, Chief scientist, International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA)

12.40–12.50

Advancing saline-alkali land utilization

Xurong Mei, Director, National Technology Innovation Center for Comprehensive Utilization of Saline Alkali Land, China

12.50–13.20

Panel discussion: Country experiences and opportunities for promoting saline 
agriculture

Nora Helena Ramos Silva, President, National Institute for Agricultural Research and Development (INIDA), Cabo Verde (TBC)

Alireza Esmaili Falak, Head, International Affairs Office, Ministry of Agriculture Jihad, Iran

Saeed Saadat, Head of soil salinity department, Soil and Water Research Institute (SWRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Ministry of Agriculture-Jahad, Iran; member of the Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils (ITPS)

Simkje Kruiderink, Team leader international: sustainable use of biodiversity and water at Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, the Kingdom of the Netherlands

13.20–13.30

Concluding remarks

Chandra Madramootoo, Chair of the WASAG Technical Advisory Committee


Moderator: Jean Ruhiza Boroto, Senior Land and Water Officer and WASAG Team Leader, FAO

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