CGIAR Central Asia and the Caucasus

IMPROVING SKILLS IN DIVERSITY LEVEL ASSESSMENT

A Regional Training Workshop “Fruit Tree Genetic Resources in Central Asia: Focus Group Discussion Data Analysis and Individual Household Surveys Finalization and Coding” was held on 9-11 December 2007 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan within the framework of Bioversity International/UNEP-GEF project “In Situ/On Farm Conservation and Use of Agrobiodiversity in Central Asia”.

VISIT TO ICRISAT

Dr. Zakir Khalikulov, PFU-CAC, visited ICRISAT Head Quarters in Hyderabad, India from 05 – 08 December, 2007. The purposes of the visit was to exchange the results of on-going activities for promoting ICRISAT mandate crops, such as groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet, in the CAC region.

SOCIOECONOMIC WORKSHOP FOR THE LIVESTOCK PROJECT

A methodology training workshop on the socioeconomic research activities of the Project on “Community Action in Integrated and Market Oriented Feed-Livestock Production in Central and South Asia” was organized by ICARDA from 26-30 November, 2007 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

EXPERT CONSULTATION ON ADVANCES IN ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF SALINIZATION

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA, Dubai, UAE), hosted, under FAO initiative, the First Expert Consultation on Advances in Assessment and Monitoring of Salinization for Managing Salt-affected Habitats of the Global Network on Salinization Prevention and Productive Use of Salt Affected Habitats (SPUSH) and a Meeting on the 'Status and Progress of Biosaline Agriculture of the Interislamic Network on Biosaline Agriculture (INBA) from 26-29 November 2007 at its Head Quarters in Dubai, UAE.

UNCCD FOCAL POINTS AND OFFICIALS FROM CENTRAL ASIA VISIT ICARDA HQS

The UNCCD focal points and officials from the countries of Central Asia visited ICARDA Head Quarters in Aleppo, Syria, from 7-16 November, 2007.

FIRST STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING OF CACILM

The First Steering Committee Meeting of CACILM Program was organized by the Multi-country Secretariat of CACILM on 30-31 October, 2007 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Regional and Steering Committee Meetings of the Livestock Project

The First Regional Workshop and Steering Committee Meeting of the ICARDA-IFAD project on “Community Action in Integrated and Market Oriented Feed-Livestock Production in Central and South Asia” were organized from 12-13 September 2007 in Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan.

ADB - funded 'Soil and Water' Project Successfully Completed

ADB-funded project on “Improving Rural Livelihoods through Efficient On-Farm Water and Soil Fertility Management in Central Asia” (RETA 6136) has been successfully completed in August, 2007.

Workshop to Strengthen Plant Breeding in CAC

A three-day regional workshop on “Strengthening National Plant Breeding and Related Biotechnology in Central Asia and the Caucasus Countries through Policy Advice” was organized jointly by PFU-CGIAR/ICARDA-CAC, with FAO's support, from 16-18 July 2007 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

CACILM Project SLM-R Launched in Central Asia