The Central Asia and the Caucasus (CAC) region consists of five countries in Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan) and three in the South Caucasus (Armenia Azerbaijan and Georgia). The eight countries of the region attained independence after the breakdown of the former Soviet Union in 1991, and since then have undergone tremendous economic and social changes as a result of transition from “centrallyplanned” economy systems to the “market economies”. Agriculture in the region is of paramount importance because of its role in the development needs of its countries. The sector: (i) supports the livelihoods of a large majority of the population in rural areas, (ii) provides employment to a large population, (iii) significantly contributes to the GDP of the most CAC countries, (iv) is a major source of hard currency earnings for some countries in the region, and (v) utilizes the most important components of the natural resources that directly affect the environment, e.g., soil, water and plant biodiversity, and thus assumes special significance in protecting the environment through the sustainable use of these natural resources. Agriculture in the region, practiced in both irrigated and rainfed lands areas, is characterized by low income, small to medium farms with mono-cropping and low productivity without sufficient financial and technical support and technology transfer arrangements. The region so far has paid insufficient attention to mountain agriculture resulting into land erosion, poor farming communities, outmigration and land abandonment. The region has also not paid sufficient attention to and investments in agricultural research, education and extension  systems.