DUSHANBE, February 9, 2015, Asia-Plus — The new FAO project aimed at support in promotion and implementation integrated pest management strategies for important field and fruits crops in Tajikistan was launched in Dushanbe on February 6, according to FAO CO in Tajikistan.
FAO contributed $400,000 into demonstration and successful implementation of the new pest control technologies in Tajikistan.
Designed for two years, the project will be implemented in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
“This project focuses on testing, validating and adapting integrated pest management technologies to local conditions in specific regions, where field and fruit crops of major economic importance are prevalent and promoting them to farmers through training programs for private and public extension services, agriculture specialists and farmers,” – said Viorel Gutu, FAO Representative in Tajikistan.
The project will ensure the exchange of practical experiences among participants to facilitate the promotion and local adaptation of IPM technologies. The project will include a solid capacity building component on training the facilitators, setting up pilot sites for selected crops and cropping systems. The project team will train the master trainers and farmers and develop the training and extension materials. Support to formulation of the national strategy on adoption and promotion of IPM is another important objective of the project.
The project will build partnerships among farming communities, NGOs, government agencies, research institutes, Agrarian University and relevant projects implemented by donors and development partners. These partnerships will merge into a forum for discussion at the national level.
The direct beneficiaries of the assistance will be the farmers and their families, researchers and extension specialists; the indirect beneficiaries will be the rural population at large, specialists of the Ministry of Agriculture, and NGOs involved in agricultural and rural development.
