The Guide to Managing Saline Soils (published only in Russian) was prepared within the framework of the implementation plan of the Eurasian Soil Partnership with the cooperation of the Global Soil Partnership (Italy), the Eurasian Center for Food Security at Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia), and the National Scientific Center “Institute for Soil Science and Agrochemistry Research named after O.N. Sokolovsky” (Ukraine). The Guide is edited by R.Vargas, E.I. Pankova, S.A. Baluk, P.V. Krasilnikov, and G.M. Khasankhanova and was prepared for the training on innovative methods of reclamation and utilization of saline soils (September 25–29, 2017, Kharkiv, Ukraine).
The guide aims to show that salinization is a serious challenge that requires coordination between countries with shared water and land resources. International cooperation is also necessary to attract and manage investment in land and water resources. Salinity is both a cause and a consequence of other problems in agriculture. Soil salinization control should be considered – along with other interventions aimed at sustainable intensification of agriculture – to be one of the foundations of food security. This publication – with the contributions of authors from many countries of the Eurasian region who represent leading scientific and industrial organizations dealing with soil salinization – is a good example of the integration of efforts being made to address the challenges of sustainable land and water management in the region.
