International Cooperation Programs,CAC

Central Asia and the Caucasus Regional Program (CAC)
In 1998, collaboration with the countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and the Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) was brought under a regional program for Central Asia and the Caucasus (CACRP).

The Region
It covers an area of 416 million hectares, of which about 70% is classified as agricultural land. Of this, only 15% is arable. Wheat, cotton, and livestock are the important agricultural commodities. About 275 million hectares are classified as rangelands. The environment is characterized by low and variable rainfall and temperature extremes. The landscape consists of mountains, deserts, and steppes.

The countries of the Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) region are undergoing a period of transition towards a market driven economy. The region has good potential for agricultural development, since two important cradles, i.e. institutional infrastructure and human resource, already exist. The challenge is to strengthen these existing capacities through research collaboration with the advanced international research institutions, in order to improve the livelihoods of the CAC people who largely depend on agriculture. Major challenges that cut across main agro-ecological conditions of the region include:

•	Food security and poverty
•	Soil fertility and salinity
•	Deteriorated irrigation system
•	Degraded rangelands
•	Disintegration of markets
•	Land tenure and rights
•	Inappropriate policies
•	Human resource development

Priorities
Stakeholders, representing national and international agricultural research, donor organizations, NGOs, the private sector, and farmers, have been involved in identifying the research priorities for the region. In line with the bottom-up priority setting approach adopted by the CGIAR under "Plank 4" of the CGIAR's vision and strategy, the CAC Regional Forum (CACAARI) and ICARDA organized a brainstorming meeting with NARS leaders, representatives of the concerned CG Centers, and donors on 20 September, 2001, in Tashkent, in order to revisit the research priorities. Accordingly, the following priorities have been identified:

•	Productivity enhancement of crops and thrust on seed development, with major emphasis on cereals, legumes, oilseeds, fruit and vegetable crops; breeding high-yielding varieties with resistance to diseases, pests, drought and salinity; also, search for genotypes that can better withstand low-input conditions.
•	Soil and water management for sustainable agriculture, including focus on nutrient- and water-use efficiency, on-farm water management, marginal water utilization, salinity, drainage, and conservation tillage.
•	Conservation of genetic resources (crops and livestock) in view of the existing rich diversity in the region.
•	Livestock improvement and management with emphasis on market-oriented breed improvement, health, feed management and range rehabilitation.
•	Crop diversification, with greater emphasis on incorporating legumes in cropping systems for long-term sustainability, better income generation, and household nutrition security.
•	Post-harvest management, storage and value addition of crops, livestock, fruit and vegetable products that can help small and marginal farmers in rural areas.
•	Socioeconomic and policy research for infrastructure development, economic feasibility of technologies, resource evaluation, marketing, finance, and policy interventions for required adjustments in market economy.
•	Strengthening NARS and human resource development with greater emphasis on training, including English language training.

Major Achievements

•	Agro-ecological characterization has been completed for integrated research sites in Central Asia using GIS methods. Similar exercises are in progress for other Central Asian countries.
•	Annually, about 4500 entries from 80 different nurseries of cereals, legumes and forage crops are tested in the region. In all eight CAC countries, new promising varieties have been identified, and are now being used to improve local germplasm, or direct multiplication and release on farmers' fields.
•	Eight promising varieties of winter wheat, two varieties of chickpea, and one each of spring barley, lentil and lathyrus, have been released in the region.
•	Special emphasis is placed on seed development in the region.
•	The overall situation for controlling yellow rust has been studied; identification of physiological races of yellow rust was undertaken in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan; data for mapping distribution frequency and resistance genes generated; recommendations for replacement of varieties susceptible to yellow rust have been made.
•	New agronomic practices, including new crop rotations, have been recommended in the region with the introduction of crops such as chickpea, lentil, safflower, soybean, buckwheat and others.
•	Socio-economic analysis has revealed the main constraints for livestock production in Central Asia.
•	Several livestock management practices were evaluated and found promising, such as early weaning, early lambing, market oriented lamb fattening, and milking of Karakul and Sarajeen sheep ewes.
•	Quite promising results have already been obtained through conservation tillage in irrigated agriculture. Shallow tillage, instead of deep plowing, proved useful and saves fuel consumption.
•	Rangeland status in four Central Asian countries has been assessed and constraints identified. Direct seeding and planting of young plants of Atriplex, Haloxylon, Kochia and Salsola in protective stripes was successful in restoring the degraded rangelands.
•	The Gene Banks in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan and Georgia have been renovated and made functional. A new Gene Bank was established in Turkmenistan in March, 2005.
•	A total of about 2600 scientists and farmers from all CAC countries have so far benefited from different training and human resource development activities.
•	Different equipment, including 70 PCs with accessories, 11 cars, 3 weather stations, 5 Zero Till Drills, 4 Raised Bed Planters, a few digital cameras, etc., were provided to various institutions in the CAC region.
•	Networks have also been established for all the mandate crops of ICARDA.
•	A Regional Forum, CACAARI, has been established in order to foster research partnership among NARS.

On-going Projects

•	Issues of natural resource management are being addressed through an ADB project on "Improving rural livelihoods through efficient on-farm water and soil fertility management in Central Asia" (second phase)
•	An ACIAR project on "Genetic resource conservation, documentation and utilization", is now underway to provide support in this important research area
•	A TCP on "Sustainable agriculture practices in Karakalpakstan", funded by FAO, addresses the issues of conservation tillage in the area affected by the Aral Sea disaster
•	The Global Crop Diversity Trust (GCDT) is now providing support for two projects on "Establishment of regional PGR information network", and "Inventory of ex-situ collection of Treaty crops"
•	Another TCP on "Improvement of cereal, legume, oil and forage crops seed production in Uzbekistan" has been launched by FAO to address these important issues
•	A second phase of the IFAD funded project on "Community Action in Integrated and Market Oriented Feed-Livestock Production in Central Asia" has recently been approved
•	USAID has provided financial support for a joint Michigan State University (MSU)-ICARDA project on Integrated Pest Management in Central Asia.

Looking Ahead
The CAC region is faced with enormous challenges that require immediate scientific solutions and appropriate technologies to overcome problems of natural resource management, promote sustainable productivity and profitability, and above all, ensure food security and alleviate poverty. As the countries in the region are highly dependent on agriculture, these issues must be addressed if the region's economies are to stabilize and grow.

The region also offers tremendous potential for agricultural growth and development. Substantial progress has already been made in building partnerships and developing human resources. Through signing agreements for collaborative research, the NARS are showing a keen interest in joining hands with ICARDA in order to promote sustainable agricultural production in the region.

The future strategy of ICARDA in CAC will seek to address the emerging challenges relating to policy and land reforms, management of depleting natural resources, conservation of genetic resources of plants and small ruminants, breeding new crop varieties of cereals and legumes, diversification of agriculture including sustainability of wheat and cotton production systems, seed development and harmonization, livestock development including feed and fodder management, rangeland rehabilitation, on-farm water resources, including use of marginal waters and management of salinity. Most NARS continue to face constraints of research support and human resource development. The socioeconomic and policy-related options also need increased attention, including support for ICT and market intelligence and pricing.

Fortunately, the CAC region has the needed infrastructure and human resources to steer the future growth and development of agriculture. Hence, effective interface and partnership between ICARDA and NARS would help to accelerate agricultural development in the region. Support to the recently formed regional forum - CACAARI - would further strengthen research collaboration and partnership. The Consortium approach, involving other CG Centers, with ICARDA playing the lead role, would add value to scientific support to NARS in their efforts.

Since 1995, ICARDA has played an important role in promoting research for development in the region. The CGIAR Eco-regional Program for CAC, and the Program Facilitation Unit in Tashkent, have helped ICARDA promote strong partnerships and create effective linkages with international organizations. In June 2001, policy makers from the eight countries, representatives of donor organizations and CGIAR centers, leaders of NARS and other stakeholders, met at Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan, to reinforce their commitment to agricultural research and development. They were unanimous in their endorsement of the Issyk-Kul Declaration, stating that agricultural research is to be given the highest priority in order to improve livelihoods, alleviate poverty, and strengthen national economies through improved productivity and sustainability of agricultural production systems. The declaration has paved the way for all stakeholders to work together and benefit from a partnership approach to solving the problems of the region.

* Click here for the CGIAR Program for Central Asia and the Caucasus

Regional Coordinator:
  Dr Christopher Martius
  ICARDA-CAC
  6-106, Murtazaeva Street
  P.O. Box 4564
  Tashkent 700000, Uzbekistan
  Phone: (998-371) 1372169 / 1372130 / 1372104
  Mobile: (919-810) 191486 (Paroda)
                (99893) 1816621 (Paroda)
  Fax: (998-371) 1207125
  E-mail: c.martius@cgiar.org / Tashkent@ICARDA.Org.Uz /   ICARDA-Tashkent@cgiar.org /
                M.Suleimenov@cgiar.org / Z.Khalikulov@cgiar.org
                B.Djumakhanov@cgiar.org / T.Yugay@cgiar.org

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