Русский

News

International research centers, national partners in Uzbekistan discuss cooperation

Date: 18.12.2014.

Salinity and land degradation remain a major concern in Uzbekistan. This problem is especially acute in the Aral Sea Basin. For example, the livelihoods of these households in the 40 let Karakalpakstana settlement are being seriously affected by salinity and land degradation. Photo by Kristina Toderich.

The CGIAR Regional Program for Central Asia and the Caucasus has a long history of successful collaboration with national research organizations in Uzbekistan, dating back to 1998. Strong bilateral relations have been built over the years by, among others, Consortium members led by the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and including the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, the International Potato Center CIP, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), Bioversity International, the International Wheat and Maize Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and more recently the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and Central Asia and the Caucasus Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (CACAARI). And of late there have been a growing number of new joint initiatives, including the CRP Dryland Systems, which introduced a more integrated research approach among the Centers but also with national agricultural research organizations.

There is, however, still room for not only engaging various national partners more extensively in joint research but also fostering stronger partnerships in the entire agricultural innovation system. And regular dialogue helps to explore new opportunities for collaboration, share knowledge and update national partners on the latest collaborative research-for-development achievements. Meetings with national partners also help to receive straightforward feedback on what is going well and where more attention is needed. Researchers also get a chance to make sure they are on the same page with their local partners and align priorities if needed. This idea was behind a seminar held at Tashkent State Agrarian University on 17 December 2014. It brought together more than 75 people from the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and various national research institutions to discuss and review the Consortium's joint research activities with national partners in Uzbekistan. During a series of presentations, scientists briefed participants on their work in the country and prospects for collaboration. In particular the presentations covered such topics as the Consortium's overall objectives in Central Asia and the Caucasus, results of the CACILM Phase II Knowledge Management Project, AVRDC's activities on vegetable research, CIP's work on improved potato varieties, conservation agriculture efforts, IWMI's work on increasing water use efficiency, Bioversity International's work on saving agro-biodiversity, development of improved varieties of winter wheat and food legume crops through ICARDA collaborations, development of innovation platforms under the CRP Dryland Systems in Central Asia, and CACAARI's vision for future collaboration in the region.

The presentations opened up lively Q&A sessions, which revolved around three main themes. First, salinity and land degradation remain a major concern. Some 800,000 ha of the irrigated croplands are estimated to be subject to serious soil erosion in Uzbekistan. As Dr Nasrullo Bobokulov, director of the Uzbek Research Institute of Karakul Sheep Breeding and Ecology of Deserts, said during the seminar, more effort should be put into tackling salinity and land degradation. He also suggested research should focus more extensively on arid and semi-arid areas as they make up a large percentage of the country's territory. It is also important to develop and cultivate plants tolerant of salinity. Prof Igor Belolipov, of Tashkent State Agrarian University, noted that it is necessary to save, breed and cultivate fruit varieties, in particular apple, adapted to salt-affected areas. Mr Rashid Azimov, of Bioversity International, pointed out that considerable work had been carried out to this effect under the project 'In situ/on-farm conservation and use of agricultural biodiversity (horticultural crops and wild fruit species) in Central Asia'. For example, a salinity-resistant form of apple called 'Khazarasp' is now kept at a demonstration site in Khonka district of Khorezm Region. Mr Azimov added that propagation of different apple varieties is also done on a farm in Bostanliq district, Tashkent Region. In a similar vein, Dr Ram Sharma, of ICARDA, said that a new variety of winter wheat called 'Davlatli' had recently been submitted to the State Variety Testing Commission in Turkmenistan, which boasts resistance to salinity, frost, heat and drought. Dr Sharma suggested that the variety could also be grown in Uzbekistan, in particular in Bukhara and Syrdarya regions where salinity is high. He added that salinity is getting more attention also in view of climate change predictions, and new varieties are being developed with tolerance to this stress.

Second, national researchers believe that science should help business. For example, Prof Belolipov said there is interest among businesses in getting lycopene from tomato. But he lamented lack of a specialized lab for analyzing lycopene levels in tomato, which could help companies involved in exporting tomato. Following the presentation on conservation agriculture, Ms Farida Kuldasheva, a lecturer at TSAU, suggested that no-till technology could be turned into a successful business, too. She noted that no-till planters could be produced on a commercial basis for farmers in Uzbekistan.

Last, capacity development was prominent in the discussions. University staff and participants asked for more collaboration between university students and researchers and Centers' scientists. The issue of enhancing collaboration between the Program and the university in terms of student involvement was also raised.

Overall, the event was another step towards building more effective relationships between national and international research institutions. It also showed that there is unflagging enthusiasm among young scientists to work towards increased agricultural productivity, more diversified production and improved livelihoods in rural areas in Uzbekistan.

See also