ICARDA News

INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN THE DRY AREAS
P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria
Phone: (963-21) 2213433, 2213477, 2225112, 2225012
Fax: (963-21) 2213490, 2225105; E-mail: ICARDA@CGIAR.ORG
Website: www.icarda.cgiar.org
26 January 2004
For more information contact:
Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
Minister Opens Workshop on
Improving Rural Livelihoods in Central Asia
H.E. Prof. Abduvokhid Juraev (third from left), Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan, inaugurated the workshop along with Dr Pratima Dayal (second from left) of the Asian Development Bank; Dr Raj Paorda (left), ICARDA-CAC; and other senior officials.
An inception workshop on the Asian Development Bank-funded project on “Improving Rural Livelihoods through Efficient On-Farm Water and Soil Fertility Management in Central Asia” was held in Tashkent on 19-20 February 2004. More than 60 participants attended the workshop, including heads of NARS and leading scientists from all Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan, representatives of ADB, SDC, USAID, GTZ, and some NGOs, scientists from ICARDA headquarters and CAC Regional office, as well as from IWMI.
The workshop was opened by H.E. Prof. Abduvokhid Juraev, Minister of Agriculture and Water Management of the Republic of Uzbekistan, who congratulated the participants on the approval of their project by ADB. He thanked ADB for its continued support in addressing issues that are critical to the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers in Central Asia. He expressed his full support for the implementation of the project in Uzbekistan.
Dr Pratima Dayal, ADB Senior Agriculture Specialist, presented the Bank’s strategy for sustainable agricultural development in Central Asia, which focuses on soil and water management. She emphasized that ICARDA’s support to agriculture through natural resource conservation is critical in the region for the enhancement of livelihood opportunities for resource-poor farmers. Dr Dayal also announced that, in 2004, ADB will organize a regional forum on agriculture and natural resources research and policy reorientation in Central Asia, in partnership with ICARDA.
During the opening session, Dr Raj Paroda, Regional Coordinator ICARDA-CAC, welcomed the participants and appreciated the support and encouragement extended by Drs Pratima Dayal and Tumurdavaa Bayarsaihan of ADB. He presented an overview of the new project, which builds on the one recently completed and will focus on dissemination of improved technologies to farmers. Dr Richard Thomas, Director NRMP, also addressed the participants about ICARDA’s strategy on NRM research in Central Asia.
Later, the first Steering Committee Meeting of the project was held. During the meeting, different issues relating to project management, including the work plan and budget for 2004, were discussed and finalized.

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.cgiar.org) serves the entire developing world for the improvement of barley, lentil, and faba bean; and dry-area developing countries for the on-farm management of water, improvement of nutrition and productivity of small ruminants (sheep and goats), and rehabilitation and management of rangelands. In the Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) region, ICARDA is responsible for the improvement of durum and bread wheats, chickpea, pasture and forage legumes and farming systems; and for the protection and enhancement of the natural resource base of water, land, and biodiversity.

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) is a strategic alliance of 62 members and 16 Future Harvest Centers that mobilizes cutting-edge science to promote sustainable development by reducing hunger and poverty, improving human nutrition and health, and protecting the environment.
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