Turkmenistan is active in its initiatives on the systematic use of water resources, taking into account the interests of all States in the region and the comprehensive solution of water and economic problems based on the principles of equality and mutual consent. "Our country stands for water cooperation with neighboring countries to be carried out in accordance with international law, in the spirit of traditional good-neighborliness and brotherhood," Kerim Saparov, Head of the Department of Agrarian Reforms of the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan, said at the Turkmen-Afghan Economic Forum in Ashgabat.

He noted that systematic work is underway in the country to ensure uninterrupted water supply to agriculture and, at the same time, the effective use of water resources, the introduction of water-saving technologies.

The Government of Turkmenistan provides various types of support and benefits to domestic agricultural producers. Large investments are directed to strengthening and modernizing the material and technical base of agriculture. As a result, the production of fruits and vegetables, including greenhouses, is growing from year to year.

Turkmenistan has 38.5 million hectares of natural pastures, which serve as the main source of feed for cattle and camels. The exemption of livestock breeders from all types of taxes, the provision of preferential loans to individuals gave a great impetus to the development of the industry, the emergence of new livestock and poultry complexes. In order to effectively use land and water resources, a special land fund has been created for agricultural needs. Land plots are transferred to producers for a period of 99 years.

Turkmenistan is ready to cooperate with fraternal Afghanistan in the field of agro- industrial complex and agriculture, expand bilateral cooperation in priority areas in this area and enter into new forms of partnership, Kerim Saparov said.

The Turkmen-Afghan Economic Forum was held in Ashgabat on Monday, March

4. A large delegation from Afghanistan consisting of 275 people arrived in the Turkmen capital to participate in it. They also included women business owners and representatives of the interests of Afghan businesswomen. The delegation is headed by the Minister of Industry and Trade Nuruddin Azizi.

Since cooperation with Afghanistan is of great importance for all its neighboring countries, the forum was also attended by heads and representatives of diplomatic missions of Central Asian states.

According to the Afghan side, for the first time a business event with the participation of Afghan business has acquired such a scale here, in Ashgabat.

In addition to the business forum, Ashgabat also hosted a major exhibition of products from Afghan manufacturers, which features more than 200 companies of various profiles.

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