A team of Russian experts is in the UAE to demonstrate new technology for "global artificial rain" to meet the challenges of ecological disturbances and desertification.

The eight-member team - including inventor Vitaly Oranovskiy - is in Abu Dhabi and yesterday made a presentation at the Abu Dhabi Men's College (ADMC), which was attended by Saeed Mohammed Al Raqabani, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Oranovskiy said that the world has lost 20 million square kilometres of fertile land to desertification in the past 6,000 years, and according to a UN study, 20 square kilometres of fertile land is turning into desert every hour.

"This creates a problem which is far from the framework of the traditional way of solving it," he said. "It's not too late, we still have time to correct the situation," he declared.

The "global artificial rain" technology has raised hopes for the revival of an ecological balance. "The technology, materials, money and know-how all are there. We just need to get on with it."

He noted that a caring attitude for the environment is not enough. "The radical restoration of the green cover of the Earth is necessary and it is possible only under conditions of compulsory irrigation in zones facing manmade or natural droughts."

Dr Boris Feldman, a close associate of Oranovskiy and a member of the team, told Gulf News that the UAE is the first country in which the technology is being demonstrated.

"We invited many countries, including the U.S., as well as the United Nations, for support and practical application of the invention. It's only the UAE that has shown its willingness."

It was difficult to get support from Russia, the place where the technology was invented and registered, due to the economic and political problems the country is facing, he said.

Oranovskiy said the World Bank has also shown interest in the technology, but offered no support on grounds that it deals only with countries and not individuals.