[Please use this email to send messages to the list: [email protected] or hit the “reply to all” button] Dear participants of the CAC regional e-consultation As you know, we started e-consultations for the CAC region on 3rd September and we completed 5 days of e-consultations yesterday. We are encouraged by your participation, and we thought of summarizing the discussions that we have had in the last five days. Also, we would like to invite more participants to join the e-consultation process to so that we are able to further focus on the important issues in agricultural research that will lead to meeting the objectives of agricultural development in the CAC region. If you have just joined the event, please (a) introduce yourself, (b) share with everyone one experience showing how an agricultural innovation had a development impact in your country, and and how it could apply at the regional level? Summary of discussions During these five days of consultations, we have already heard from participants from different organizations like research institutions, universities, NGOs, academicians and private sector. Already, we have received contributions from all the eight countries of the region but more contributions have been received from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. We encourage greater participation from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. As moderators, we thank you for your participation and valuable time for these consultations. Following are the major issues that have been highlighted so far: • Organic agriculture: Dr. Vugar Babayev of GABA, an NGO from Azerbaijan, highlights the issues and importance of organic agriculture in the region. The topic received good attention of participants such as Dr. Carlo Carli of CIP (based in Tashkent) and Dr. Christopher Martius of CGIAR program and ICARDA (based in Tashkent), Dr. Mukhtor Nasyrov of Samarkand State University, Dr. Dyno Keatinge of AVRDC – The World vegetable Center, based in Taiwan, and Dr. Saparbek Akymkulov of Bio Service of Kyrgyzstan. Through consultations, prospects and problems have been highlighted and a good analysis is presented by Dr. Martius. Greater efforts and support are needed for this activity in the region, says Dr. Mariam Jorjadze of Georgia. • Nutritional security: Dr. Dyno Keatinge of AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center, responded to all the questions highlighted by Dr. Beniwal, the Reviewer of the CAC Regional Research Review for CACAARI and shared with you all, and emphasizes on nutritional security in the region together with feed security. This was well discussed and further emphasized by Dr. Carlo Carlo, citing an example of how bio-fortification of potato could help resolve iron deficiency problem in the CAC region, which is considered to have high potential for impact on nutritional status. • Women issues: Dr. Dinara Alimdjanova of Uzbekistan highlights the women issues and their greater involvement in agriculture development. No contributions from other participants are received on this. We encouraged her to share more of her views on the issue. • Greater support and coordination for research, education and information systems: Dr. Mariam Jorjadze of Georgia emphasizes a greater support for research, education, information systems. Dr. Inobat Avezmuratova of Uzbekistan also highlights the issues of mechanism and coordination of research at country and the regional level. The need to reform agricultural research system and make it need-based is highlighted by Dr. Yagub Guliyev of Azerbaijan, who also emphasizes farmer-participatory research. Dr. Oleg Shatberashvili of Georgia wishes to highlight scientific and technical information systems. • Need for young researchers in agriculture: The issue of having young researchers in agricultural research and development is highlighted by Dr. Carlo Carli. Dr. Mukhtor Nasyrov of Samarkand State University supports its importance and also the importance of attracting young students to agriculture science by providing good training in order to prevent them from leaving agriculture for other professions. Need for quality and modern training in agricultural research and education and organization of high quality training programs at regional levels is emphasized. • Importance of private sector: Dr. Carlo Carli of CIP also highlights the issue of the importance of private sector in agriculture in the region, and also the importance of public/private integration and investments in agriculture to help speed up development. • Strengthening local capabilities in seed production: The need to support local research and capabilities in seed production and materials is highlighted by Dr. Mariam Jorjadze of Georgia to avoid dependency on foreign expertise and companies. Dr. Carlo Carli also feels the same way and emphasizes strengthening the local seed productions systems citing example of potato. • Privatization process in agriculture: Dr. Carlo Carli of CIP also highlights the issue of privatization process in agriculture and farming in the region. Dr. Yagub Guliyev of Azerbaijan supports privatization of agriculture and informs that the process has been completed in his country. • Use of GIS/RS: The issue of the use of GIS/Remote sensing is highlighted by Dr. Mukhtoe Nasyrov especially in light of the large areas of rangelands that the region has. This is also supported by Dr. Arman Manukyan of Armenia • Development of small farm machinery: Acad. Rasulmat Khusanov of Uzbekistan commented on the Research Review and his points were shared with other participants. Along with some other issues, he emphasizes the development of small farm machinery for the use of small-scale farmers in the region. • Conservation agriculture: Highlighted by Dr. Christopher Martius considering its importance in the present-day agriculture. • Extension service: Importance of and need for an effective extension service and education of farmers is highlighted by Dr. Yagub Guliyev of Azerbaijan and Dr. Inobat Avezmuratova. Education of farmers in the region through good extension service is important, says Dr. Avezmuratova. • Role of farmers in research priority setting: The issue of the importance of voice of farmers in setting research agenda is highlighted by Dr. Yagub Guliyev of Azerbaijan. • Climate change: Dr. Stephanie Christmann from ICARDA office in Tashkent highlights the issue of climate change in the region, which is also supported by Dr. Christopher Martius and Dr. Aram Sarikyan of Armenia. • Soil degradation and efficient use of water: Several issues pertaining to preventing soil degradation and fertility, utilization of scarce water resources through efficient water use and diversification of cropping systems are highlighted by Dr. Mukhtor Nasyrov of Samarkand. • Diversification of agriculture: Dr. Mukhtor Nasyrov also highlights the issue of diversification of cropping systems in the region considering the practice of mono-cropping pattern. From the above, one can clearly see a number of important issues have been highlighted so far during the 5 days of consultation. We are certain that several other issues will be raised. Now, we would like to remind our esteemed participants to please refer again to the Research Review, prepared by Dr. Beniwal, Consultant to the CAC region, which highlights 17 researchable issues and five issues relating to strengthening of the national agricultural research systems Suggested background reading for the next week We also request you to please refer to the following two documents that have been prepared by Dr. Beniwal, Consultant for Central Asia and the Caucasus region, keeping in mind the agricultural development needs of the region. These are: 1. Key issues in agricultural research for development in Central Asia and the Caucasus (it highlights 17 researchable issues and five issues for organizing and supporting the research system) http://www.cacaari.org/filesarchive/reports/KeyIssues_CAC-II_Final_26Aug.pdf 2. Questions for facilitating e-consultations in CAC region (raises 11 questions for e-consultations) http://www.cacaari.org/news/read/2115 Dear participants, what is now requested from you all is to discuss the “mainstream agriculture” as highlighted by Dr. Martius. We need your suggestions on: • To what extent do the issues identified in the Regional review capture the key regional research needs for delivering the greatest development impact? Have some issues been missed such as nutritional security as highlighted by Dr. Dyno Keatinge? And what should be their priorities? • What are the mechanisms and partnerships that are required for turning research into development impact? • What are the key blockages, barriers and bottlenecks that prevent agricultural innovation from benefiting the poor? • How best should these be resolved and what enabling investments, policies, and capacities are most needed? If you wish to update yourself on the other e-regional events, please check the GCARD blog: http://gcardblog.wordpress.com and twitter page: http://twitter.com/GCARD2010 Thanks for your participation. SPS Beniwal ([email protected]) Anvar Rahmetov ([email protected]) Moderators CAC e-Consultations