National Steering Committee Meeting: Steps to Conserving Agrobiodiversity and Food Sustainability in Tajikistan

  • 2/8/2025 1:30:02 PM
  • Views

Image Description

On February 6, 2025, a meeting of the National Steering Committee (NSC) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) project “Facilitating the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity for improved food and nutrition resilience in Tajikistan” was held in Dushanbe. The event was attended by members of the NSC, project representatives, national consultants and partners, who summed up the work for 2024 and approved plans for 2025.

As part of the initiative, significant steps have been taken to conserve and sustainably use agrobiodiversity in four mountainous regions of Tajikistan – Shakhristan, Rasht, Tajikabad and Baljuvan. Thanks to the joint efforts the following results were achieved:
• Evaluation and support of local varieties of agricultural crops, including cereals, legumes and fruits, as well as their wild relatives, conducted;
• A program for the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity was developed;
• The capacity of local farmers and breeders in adapting agriculture to changing climatic conditions was strengthened;
• Initiatives for information support and transfer of traditional knowledge related to the cultivation and conservation of local varieties were developed;
• Support was provided to women farmers in rural areas, promoting their active participation in the management of agrobiodiversity.

During the meeting, the participants reviewed the results of the project implementation for 2024, noting the positive dynamics of the key indicators. The budget and work plan for 2025, as well as upcoming joint events with national partners and project beneficiaries, were discussed.
The project will continue its activities aimed at conserving agrobiodiversity, developing sustainable agriculture and food security in Tajikistan, in close cooperation with government and international partners.