Ties that Bind: CGIAR in Uzbekistan

Abstract

The CGIAR Eco-Regional Collaborative Research Program for Sustainable Agricultural Development in Central Asia and the Caucasus has been actively present in the Region since 1998. It currently involves eight CGIAR Centers - CIMMYT, CIP, ICARDA, ICRISAT, IFPRI, ILRI, Bioversity International, IWMI, and three other advanced research institutions - AVRDC, ICBA and MSU. The Program has supported and promoted research collaboration among the eight National Agricultural Research Systems of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The goal of the Program is to achieve increased productivity through generation and transfer sustainable agricultural production technologies, while ensuring protection of natural resources. There have been extensive consultations between CG Centers and the NARS to identify and prioritize thematic research areas. With the seed money provided by the CGIAR and additional funds raised by the participating centers, the program has made considerable impact in the Region. Particularly in Uzbekistan, key achievements were made in genetic resource conservation, germplasm enhancement and crop diversification, efficient soil and water management, socio-economic research and capacity building.