Agriculture is an important part of the economy in Central Asia and contributes significantly to the food security of the majority of population. Sustainable development of agriculture, increase of production and improvement of population welfare largely depend on soil condition and its fertility. Over the past decade, the agricultural lands,...

As farmers increasingly plant modern varieties of wheat, traditional wheat landraces are in decline. Yet the genetic diversity found in these hardy traditional varieties could be crucial for the future of wheat production. A new series of publications from FAO introduces wheat landraces in the Central Asia sub region, starting with...

This publication addresses the need to strengthen the interface between the scientific community, knowledge-holders and policymakers, and build capacity for and strengthen the use of science and knowledge in policymaking on the topic of ecosystem services. With respect to the ecosystem service of pollination, FAO developed a protocol to identify...

Although relatively new, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is attracting increasing interest and attention in various parts of the world including in Central Asia. FAO and other partners have a number of on-going and forthcoming projects which deal with different aspects of the CSA approach. Given the importance of conceiving and...

Agriculture is an engine of growth for rural communities, particularly in the developing world. It has also proven to be an especially viable tool for women to lift themselves out of poverty. Women in developing countries rely heavily on the income they earn from agriculture-related activities to provide for their...

This book on Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement provides with valuable knowledge and information both at the global, regional, and national levels on the costs of land degradation and benefits of taking action against land degradation. A key advantage of this book is that it goes beyond the conventional...

9-е Совещание Руководящего Комитета Региональной сети по исследованиям и развитию овощеводства в Центральной Азии и на Кавказе (РНИСОЦАК) состоялось 25-27 октября 2016г. в Ташкенте, Узбекистан. Цель встречи - оценка текущей совместной работы, обсуждение состояния исследований в области овощеводства и предложения по дальнейшей совместной научно-исследовательской деятельности и развития системы овощеводства в Центральной...

Although relatively new, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) is attracting increasing interest and attention in various parts of the world including in Central Asia. FAO and other partners have a number of on-going and forthcoming projects which deal with different aspects of the CSA approach. Given the importance of conceiving and...

The aim of the guidelines is to enhance restoration efforts in the world’s drylands. They provide specific guidance for policymakers and other decision-makers, and for practitioners. Well-informed policymakers and other higher-order decision-makers can be enablers in the design and implementation of effective restoration efforts by providing appropriate policies, governance mechanisms...

The present work takes guidance from the FAO  flagship publication, “The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2010-2011: Women in agriculture – Closing the gender gap for development” (FAO, 2011a). The SOFA report argues that, “despite the diversity in the roles and status of women in agriculture, the evidence...

The brochure provides an overview of sustainable land management and climate change Adaptation in Central Asia and how they relate to the partnership between ADB and ICARDA.

At least nine countries in the region stand united on the need to restore limited soil resources and stop alarming soil degradation trends. The “Izmir Communique’” and a related draft five-year implementation plan for the Eurasia region were adopted at the Second Plenary Meeting of the Eurasian Soil Partnership earlier...

The four Central Asian countries mentioned are heavily agrarian societies and have a low income per capita, except for Turkmenistan due to its large oil and gas revenues. The region is characterised by mountainous terrain and dry areas. The climate is continental, with cold winters and dry, hot summers. There...

The training workshop will facilitate a greater understanding of the different processes of trade and economic integration affecting the agricultural sector in Central Asia. Given the different degrees of the countries’ involvement in global and regional trading schemes, lessons learned from reforming agriculture will be drawn upon. Apart from experiences...

Central Asia is one of the oldest areas of human civilization. Uzbekistan is home to several sites of ancient irrigated agriculture. Archaeological data indicate that by the end of the 2nd millennium BCE in the delta region of the Amu Darya river, the agricultural civilization of ancient Khorezm already had...

Pollinators play a key-role in agriculture, for biodiversity protection, ecosystems and climate change adaptation. But globally rapid decline of wild pollinators threatens mankind; honey bees cannot compensate the losses. Central Asia has been identified as the second most vulnerable area worldwide concerning economic loss in consequence of pollinator loss. But...

A century ago forests covered large foot hill chains in Uzbekistan and provided manifold benefits. Currently, only 7.3% of Uzbekistan is forested. Specifically villages below mountains or lower ranges suffer from mud flows after hails and even slight rains. Climate change will fuel the serisks, e.g. by increase of hails....

The five independent republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan cover a vast territory in Central Asia, almost 4 million hectares, which is just a little smaller than the whole of Western Europe. Very different ecoregions are represented in this territory: grassland plains (steppes), riparian forests (tugai), boreal forests...

The five countries of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – became independent states in 1991-1992 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union (see Map 1). Immediately after assuming independence, the Central Asian countries embarked, together with the rest of the former Soviet Republics (the Commonwealth of...

Globally ICARDA has the mandate to develop sustainable systems to protect and better use rangelands in the dry lands in cooperation with national research organizations. About 25% of terrestrial surface is used for extensive pastoralism often increasing the risk of desertification, which is fueled by climate change. Unfortunately, by now...