Within the framework of the project “Conservation and Sustainable Management of Land Resources and High Nature Value Ecosystems in the Aral Sea Basin for Multiple Benefits”, jointly implemented by UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan, practical training on the development of horticulture in the region has been conducted on March 14, 2023 in the etrap named after S. Turkmenbashi in Dashoguz velayat.
The event, which gathered local farmers from the Ruhubelent and S. Turkmenbashi etraps, representatives of the hakimliks (municipal administrations), the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen Agricultural Institute in Dashoguz, Experts on agriculture and local NGOs, was aimed at creating a platform for the exchange of experience and improving theoretical knowledge and practical skills. The experts introduced sustainable practices and innovative approach in horticulture, demonstrated the practice of spring pruning of fruit trees and measures to protect fruit trees from pests and diseases in the face of climate change.
«This practical training gave us the opportunity to get answers to many questions related to horticulture on our plots. I think that all participants will actively disseminate the knowledge they have gained among other horticultural farmers, since the demonstrated technologies and methods are very accessible and cost-effective. I would like such practical trainings to be held regularly among local residents,” – noted Bozova Ogulnabat, the owner of the garden where the practical part of the training took place.
Practical trainings are an important component of the UNDP project activities in 2023 and are aimed at familiarizing local farmers with modern horticultural practices in order to improve the livelihoods of the local community through the sustainable use of land and water resources and biodiversity conservation.
In order to stimulate local economic growth and implement the best and most climate-resilient practices, the UNDP project in Turkmenistan cooperates with various development agencies in order to increase the incomes of local communities and promote food security. The above-mentioned practical training was organized with the expert support of the UNDP project partners – the USAID’d Trade Central Asia activity (TCA); the Turkmen State Agricultural Institute; the NGO “Ekodurmush”, as well as organizational support of the Dashoguz velayat hakimlik and hakimliks of the etrap Ruhubelent and etrap named after S. Turkmenbashi.
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The joint project of UNDP and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan “Conservation and Sustainable Management of Land Resources and High Nature Value Ecosystems in the Aral Sea Basin for Multiple Benefits” was launched in 2022 and is aimed at long-term solutions for sustainable development and conservation of valuable ecosystems of the Turkmen Aral Sea region. ///UNDP Turkmenistan, 15 March 2023