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.org
22 February 2007
                             Media contact: Surendra Varma (s.varma@CGIAR.ORG)
 
Reorienting Agricultural Research in Uzbekistan
to Meet the Millennium Development Goals
Opening session of the International Ecoforum, attended by high-level officials from all eight CAC countries.
Agricultural productivity in Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) is far below its potential levels. To address the problems of agriculture in the CAC region, an International Ecoforum on 'Reorienting Agricultural Research to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): International and Regional Experience' was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on 17 January. It was organized by the International Fund ECOSAN and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan, and co-sponsored by the CAC Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (CACAARI) and ICARDA. The objective was to examine research gaps, and re-orient research to achieve the MDGs in Uzbekistan, and thus contribute to similar efforts across the region.

The Ecoforum was attended by over 100 researchers, representatives of international organizations, government leaders, and the heads of farmers' associations in Uzbekistan. The speakers included Dr Govur Aliev, Chairman of the Committee for Agriculture, Water Resources and Ecology of the Uzbekistan Senate, and Dr Abdushukur Khanazarov, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Head of the Uzbek Scientific and Production Center of Agriculture. Dr Khanazarov, as also other participants, noted their deep appreciation for ICARDA's role in the region.

Dr Raj Paroda, Coordinator of ICARDA's CAC Regional Program and Head of the CGIAR's Program Facilitation Unit for the region, delivered the keynote address. His overview (how and where to reorient research priorities to reduce poverty, ensure environmental sustainability, and build research partnerships) was the basis for more detailed discussions in subsequent sessions, and eventually for the Tashkent Declaration adopted by the Ecoforum.

Participants of the International Ecoforum on 'Reorienting Agricultural Research to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals', held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, 17 January.

The Tashkent Declaration
The Tashkent Declaration calls for immediate action to direct agricultural research in CAC towards improving crop productivity and reducing poverty, through improving household food and nutrition security, developing post-harvest technologies for value addition, conserving natural resources for sustainable agriculture, developing partnerships at regional and international levels, and other means. The Declaration urges CAC governments to allocate at least 1% of agricultural GDP for research.

There were two other key outcomes from the meeting. A Working Group was constituted for preparing a report on agricultural development in CAC, and devising strategies to implement the recommendations of the Tashkent Declaration. It was also agreed to explore ways to establish closer linkages between heads of farmers' associations and ICARDA's Tashkent office, for outscaling of new technologies.
  

About ICARDA: Established in 1977, ICARDA (www.icarda.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 countries, international and regional organizations, and private foundations supporting15 international research 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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