Dedoplistskaro and neighbouring areas may become a desert

Some Georgian specialists are ringing alarm bells about the Dedoplistskaro region, which they say is under threat of becoming a desert. Some years ago a large number of trees planted and cultivated to protect the land from the wind were cut down by the population for firewood. This has been disastrous situation for the land. Around 30% of agricultural land in the region has become infertile and it is not possible to conduct agriculture there.

The Ministry of Environment Protection and international organisations have started rehabilitating wind protection zones in different regions of Georgia and also irrigation systems. If due measures are not taken to address this dire ecological situation a new form of IDPs will be created, so-called ecomigrants.