At KSU, within the framework of the SAFER project, the prospects for agricultural, biological, and geographical education under conditions of climate change were discussed
At KSU, within the framework of the SAFER project, the prospects for agricultural, biological, and geographical education under conditions of climate change were discussed
June 4, at the Ivano-Frankivsk office of Kherson State University, a scientific and practical seminar was held «State and prospects of agriculture and agricultural, biological and geographical education in the context of climate change and a new water regime in southern Ukraine».
The event was held in a hybrid format as part of the international Erasmus+ SAFER (Sustainable Agri-Futures: Empowering Climate Resilience and Green Growth in Higher Education) project, in which Kherson State University is a participant along with 7 other partners from Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Egypt, and Jordan.
The project is designed for three years and aims to strengthen climate resilience and support green growth through the development of modern higher education. The project coordinator is the International Hellenic University. Participants in the seminar included scientists, teachers, students, representatives of the agricultural sector, the environmental protection sphere, local self-government bodies, and state authorities of the Kherson, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
The Rector of Kherson State University, Oleksandr Spivakovskyi, addressed the attendees with a welcoming speech, emphasizing the importance of the university's participation in the project regarding training personnel to work in the new climatic and natural conditions that have arisen, particularly due to the consequences caused by the catastrophe at the Kakhovka HPP. He wished all partners, scientists involved in the project, and community representatives fruitful work. The Vice-Rector for Internationalization of KSU, Alla Tsapiv, and representatives of the international relations department also joined the event.
During the event, current challenges facing southern Ukraine due to climate change and the destruction of the Kakhovka HPP were discussed. Key seminar topics included climate change in the region, transformation of the water regime after the catastrophe at the Kakhovka HPP, development of irrigation under new climatic and economic conditions, environmental protection issues, as well as prospects for agricultural, biological, and geographical education.
Leading scientists of Kherson State University presented the main reports.
Professor of the Department of Geography and Ecology, Dean of the Faculty of Biology, Geography, and Ecology, Ihor Pylypenko, presented a retrospective analysis of the development of territories within the influence zone of the Kakhovka Reservoir under irrigation conditions.
Professor of the Department of Geography and Ecology, Daria Malchykova, dedicated her report to the features of regional development of the Kakhovka Reservoir from its state before to post-catastrophe adaptation under modern challenges. Associate Professor of the Department of Geography and Ecology, Mykola Homaniuk, presented the results of public opinion research regarding the impact of the Kakhovka Reservoir.
Professor of the Department of Botany, SAFER project coordinator from KSU, Ivan Moysiiienko, spoke about monitoring the formation of vegetation cover in areas where the Kakhovka Reservoir was previously located.
A separate block of the event was the panel discussion «What to do with agricultural and natural science education under the conditions of climate change and a new water regime in southern Ukraine». Representatives of scientific institutions, environmental organizations, the educational community, and students joined the discussion. Among the discussants:
- Senior Researcher of the M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany of the NAS of Ukraine, Ihor Olshanskyi;
- Head of the Department of the Askania-Nova Biosphere Reserve named after F.E. Falz-Feyn, Oleh Prylutskyi;
- Head of the Department of Geography at Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Livia Slyva;
- Representatives of Kherson State University: Nataliia Zahorodniuk, Ruslana Melnyk, Nadiia Skobel, Illia Zhyr, and Illia Muzyka.
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