nCa Report
Any conversation about the deserts of Central Asia cannot be complete without the mention of Professor Agajan Babayev. — He is 95. He is a living legend.
A geomorphologist, a world class specialist in desert typology, a mentor of three generations of academics and scholars, Babayev spent very productive 70 years in the field and academic work related to earth, particularly the deserts.
Agajan Babayev was the founder and first Chief Editor of the magazine ‘Problems of Desert Development.’ This magazine helped highlight the special nature of the deserts of Central Asia and synthesize the research work in this area. The magazine remained a beacon of knowledge, providing valuable insight to the policymakers.
According to an article by Turkmenportal, Agajan Babayev authored more than 300 scientific works and 17 monographs. Many of these were translated into Russian, English, French, Arabic and Chinese languages.
His books:
“Karakum Desert” (1963),
“Oasis Sands of Turkmenistan” (1973),
“Deserts of the USSR” (1977),
“Deserts of the World” (1986),
“Problems of Arid Geomorphology” (1990),
“Problems of Desert Development” (1995),
“Problems of Arid Land Development” (1996),
“Problems of Deserts and Desertification in Central Asia” (1999),
“Problems of Deserts and Desertification” (2012)
“Life in Desert Science” is one of his latest works.
Textbooks for secondary schools “General Physical Geography” (1992), “Geography of the Continents and Oceans” (1994), “Physical Geography of Turkmenistan” (1997) have been published in co-authorship with other scientists.
Babayev took part in the preparation to XIV IUCN General Assembly (1978) in Ashgabat, international and geographic congresses in USSR (1976), Japan (1980), France (1984), Australia (1988) as well as in organization of forum “The UN Convention for Combating Desertification: National Approach” in Turkmenistan in 1996 as well as in the development of UN Convention for Combating Desertification.
In different periods of his impressive career, Professor Babayev chaired the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, National Institute of Deserts, Flora and Fauna, scientific council for problems of deserts in Central Asia, scientific and informational centre of Interstate Commission for sustainable development of International Fund for Saving of Aral Sea, republican geographic society, Central Asian regional centre of studies and training of personnel for problems of combating desertification, Committee of International Muhammed Al Khorezmi Award in Science and Technology.
Contribution of the scientists to integrated studies carried out by National Institute of deserts, Flora and Fauna is immeasurable. In 1969, the Institute, which was chaired by Agajan Babayev for forty years, was awarded with Labour Red Flag Order for the input to solution of problems in ecology and development of arid lands and with silver medal of the UN Environmental Programme in 1984.
Agajan Babayev is the Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of the Russian Federation, Fellow Member of the Academy of Islamic World. He is the USSR State Prize laureate in science and technology (1981), Karpinsky International Prize (Germany, 1991). G. Pill International Prize (USA, 1993) as well as was awarded with the Order of Honour (1985) and Galkynysh (1999), S. I. Vavilov medal.
“It is often said ‘conquering’ and ‘developing’ with regards to desert. However, you have to be a friend with the nature and try to adopt the activity to its conditions but not opposite way, Agajan Babayev once said during a conversation.
“Turkmenistan is located in desert zone and the life of the country is closely connected with the Karakums, which are unique collection of ecosystems and natural attractions as well as territories hiding huge treasuries – the resource potential, which is yet to be developed. Therefore, desert science will always be among the state priorities,” he said. /// nCa, 13 May 2024 [to be continued]