"Irrigated and rainfed agriculture together with livestock production systems are important components of the economies of Central Asian and the Caucasus (CAC) republics. Mixed crop-livestock production systems have been the mainstay of livelihoods of the rural people since many centuries. Recent changes consequent to the break up of the Soviet Union have a significant impact on agriculture and the people who depend on it. One of the most significant impacts on these changes has been observed on the quality of the natural resource base resulting in widespread degradation of land and water resources. Land degradation processes which vary in their forms and intensity are now posing serious threats to sustainable livelihoods of the people living in theCACregion. 

Agricultural research needs assessment is a continuous process in view of the fast changing socio-economic and policy scenarios and emergence of many other stakeholders, not involved earlier. Whereas many agricultural problems are country specific, there are some problems which are common to all the countries in the region (e.g. river water salinity, climate change etc.) and could be best tackled by joint actions of the governments in CAC. Handling scalar issues of the dimensions encompassing the whole region requires funding support from the international community and active technical backstopping from the CG centers and other advanced institutions. Experiences ofAPAARI, GFAR, FAOandAARINENAwill also prove very relevant in any priority setting exercise. I am extremely happy to know that all these organizations are
helping us in the CentralAsia and the Caucasus with their rich experiences. 

In the current agricultural regional research needs assessment (RNA) and prioritization
exercise, efforts have been made to involve stakeholders in NARS of all the CAC countries, CG centers, global and regional fora and international organizations active in the region. It is an important step for advancing agricultural research in the region. This event has also demonstrated that the Central Asia and the Caucasus Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (CACAARI) has become a viable forum for coordinating regional agricultural research activities. It has had some farmer participation, which I believe will grow further. This provides the farmers with a forum for articulating their demands for additional need based research. 

Using this opportunity, I would like to thank GFAR, ICARDA and Program Facilitation Unit (PFU) of CGIAR Program for CAC, and personally Drs. Mahmoud Solh, Director General, ICARDA, Raj Paroda and Zakir Khalikulov for all the support and facilitation extended in organizing this event. I am also grateful to the NARS leaders and leading scientists, representatives of CG Centers and international organizations for their inputs during the Expert Consultation. I strongly believe that RNA recommendations would serve as a guide-post for the republics to make investments in agricultural research for rural development and also chanalize their efforts in the right directions in coming years. I heartily congratulate the PFU-ICARDA-CAC for the timely publication of theRNArecommendations, most appropriately titled as 'From Issues to Actions'. 

Finally, I also would like to thank Dr. Surendra Beniwal, Actg. Regional Coordinator of ICARDACAC and Head, PFU-CAC for inputs. 
I sincerely wish that the funding support for agricultural research from the national governments and the international community will grow continuously to tackle serious problems facing the sustainable management of natural resources for improved livelihoods of the people in the region."

Dr. Abdushukur Khanazarov,
Executive Secretary,
CACAARI

R. Paroda, S. Beniwal, R. Gupta, Z. Khalikulov and A. Mirzabaev (Editors), 2007, "From Issues to Actions: Final Report of the Expert Consultation on Regional Research Needs Assessment in Central Asia and the Caucasus, 7-9 March 2007", GFAR-CACAARI-ICARDA - CAC,Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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