OREANDA-NEWS. June 15, 2010. The 13th Annual Steering and Executive Committee Meeting of the Program for Central Asia and the Caucasus of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research was opened by the President hotel in Ashgabat yesterday. The representative forum brought together over 60 participants from about 20 countries including prominent scientists, experts, specialists, representatives of the international organisations and journalists

In his welcoming statement to participants of the meeting President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that to ensure abundance of food products in Turkmenistan the large-scale measures were consistently taken to adopt scientific and technological advances and best practices in the agricultural sector. In this regard the research activities conducted in collaboration with the large research centres included in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research was of particular importance not only for Turkmenistan but also all states of Central Asia and Southern Caucasus.

On the first day the topics highlighted during the meeting included the positive results of cooperation with countries in the region in the previous year and the plans for expanding long-term partnership. Particular attention was paid to the research jointly conducted in such areas as grain and vegetable growing, ensuring effective dry farming in the arid zones. Emphasis was put on the importance of the region as one of the earliest centres of farming and in this regard the need for the further activities to preserve the crop varieties earlier cultivated in the region.

The report on Turkmenistan’s positive experience in this field was of particular interest to forum participants. As is known, priority attention in our country is paid to development of agriscience and adoption of the best international practices. Turkmen scientists effectively work to improve the cotton and cereals cultivation techniques. The reliable science-based foundation has been laid for gardening, vegetable growing, viticulture and growing melons and gourds. The fact that the natural and climatic conditions of Turkmenistan allow reaping two or more harvests a year facilitates intensifying agricultural production. The qualitatively new opportunities for efficient water and land use are opened up under the Turkmen Lake project.

The large-scale reforms implemented in the agro-industry sector, the measures to increase crop capacity and use the achievements of agrarian science in practice enable Turkmenistan to ensure abundance of food products in the country as well as significantly contribute to achieving global food security.

Addressing the forum, Mahmoud Solh, Alliance Executive Representative of the ICARDA Consultative of Group for Central and West Asia and North Africa (CWANA) said that this forum would be a new step to promote international cooperation, exchange of positive experiences, adoption of new agriscience achievements. The Steering and Executive Committee Meeting of the CGIAR Program for Central Asia and the Caucasus will be an opportunity for scientists and agrarian scientist to study the latest achievements of their counterparts from different countries.