CAC-Rust workshop addresses prevention and management of wheat rust diseases in Turkmenistan
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – Wheat is the world’s most widely grown crop and a significant source of food and livelihoods for over 1 billion people in many developing countries. As concerns about global food security rise, prevention and management of wheat rust diseases is becoming more important than ever. Rust diseases are the biggest threat to wheat, and the Central Asia and Caucasus regions are among the most vulnerable regions to these diseases. Regional collaboration for the prevention and management of wheat rust diseases is essential to minimize yield losses and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers.
To address these threats, FAO organized a workshop on “Prevention and management of wheat rust diseases in Turkmenistan”, which was held in Ashgabat on 7 September 2022. The workshop formed part of the CAC-Rust project “Strengthening regional collaboration and national capacities for surveillance and management of wheat rust diseases in Central Asia and Caucasus” and was supported by the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP II).
Key participants included FAO representatives and high-level officials from relevant institutions in Turkmenistan. The opening remarks were provided by Deputy Minister Şöhrat Annamyradow; Merdan Piriyev, Vice-rector for Scientific Work at Turkmen Agricultural University named after S.A. Niyazow; and Fazıl Düşünceli, Lead Technical Officer of the CAC-Rust Project.
The workshop continued with technical presentations, during which Fazıl Düşünceli informed the participants about wheat rust disease management and explained the fundamentals of the CAC-Rust Project. Researchers from the Agricultural Scientific and Production Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan and Turkmen Agricultural University named after S.A. Niyazow, including Kerimnazar Mammetgulow, the most senior wheat rust researcher, shed light on the status of wheat rust diseases in Turkmenistan, and highlighted the work done in the five regions of the country.
The presentations were followed by a discussion session in which the participants shared their recommendations for the wheat sector. Officials confirmed the willingness of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan to collaborate with institutions in Türkiye to test and develop wheat varieties and exchange relevant materials. The Agricultural Scientific and Production Centre of the Turkmen Agricultural Institute similarly expressed its willingness to engage and contribute to the CAC-Rust project.
The workshop was completed successfully and the CAC-Rust Project will extend its efforts to improve collaborations with the related institutions in the country and rest of Central Asia with the aim of strengthening the capacities of institutions and farmers to address the challenges of wheat rust diseases.
About the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes
The objectives of the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management; combat desertification; and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO Türkiye Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totalling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Türkiye and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the programme, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009 and 2015.
In 2014, Türkiye and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) with additional funding of USD 20 million, bringing Türkiye’s total contribution to USD 30 million.
LINKS:
- Introductory flyer of the CAC-Rust Project
- Workshop on wheat rust diseases brings together leading expert organizations
Combating wheat rust diseases: Strengthening national capacities and regional collaboration