STATUS OF VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN THE REPUBLIC and its perspectives for sustainable development in changing climate conditions STATUS OF VEGETABLE PRODUCTION IN THE REPUBLIC and its perspectives for sustainable development in changing climate conditions Dr R. Mavlyanova, AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center, Regional coordinator Dr. R. Khakimov, Director of the Uzbek Research Institute of Vegetable, Melon Crops & Potato Dr. A. Rustamov, Director of the Uzbek Research Institute of Plant Industry Prof. L. Gafurova, Vice-rector of the Tashkent State Agrarian University

THE POPULATION GROWTH IN THE WORLD

The Population Growth in CAC Region Countries Population (July 2007 est.) Population growth rate (2007 est.) Armenia2,971, % Azerbaijan8,120, % Georgia4,646, % Kazakhstan15,284, % Kyrgyzstan5,284, % Tajikistan7,076, % Turkmenistan5,097, % Uzbekistan27,780, % TOTAL: 76,260,6630.9% Source: www. The World Fact Book The population living below poverty line 43.9%

Vegetables: The key source of micronutrients

= HUNGER голодают Deficiency in calories + protein ≥ 0.83 billion underweight = MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCY Недостаток питания Deficiency in vitamins & minerals 2 – 3.5 billion = OVERCONSUMPTION Избыточное питание Excess of calories ≥ 1.1 billion overweight malnourished The Crucial Gap: Lack of High Value Nutrition

Uzbekistan: Total area – km 2 arable – 11% pasture – 46% forest – 3% rivers and lakes – 4,9%

Sowing area and vegetable production in Central Asia and the Caucasus ( ) Source: FAOSTAT data

Sowing area, production, yield and consumption of vegetables in Uzbekistan in Production of vegetables in Uzbekistan kg/person/year Source: FAOSTAT data

Central Asian Origin Center of Cultivated Crops Cucumis melo LSecondary center Lagenaria vulgaris SerSecondary center Daucus carota L.Primary center Brassica campestris L., ssp. Rapifera Sinsk, Primary center Raphanus sativus L.Secondary center Allium cepa l.(sensu lato)Primary center, wild relatives exist Allium. sativum LPrimary center, wild relatives exist Spinacia oleracea L.Primary center, wild relatives exist Portulaca oleracea L.Secondary center Ocimum basilicum l.Main center Northwest India (Punjab, the Northwest Boundary province, Kashmir), whole Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Western Tian-Shan

Priority vegetable crops in Central Asia Tomato Onion Carrot Cabbage Cucumber Melon Watermelon

Challenges of Vegetable Sector Relatively low yield (20 t/ha) & per capita supply ( kg/year) High input costs, limited labor supply Extremely seasonal; 15% come from Nov. to Mar. Lack of diversity; tomato, onion, cabbage & watermelon cover >60% of the total supply Poor farm-to-market infrastructure & post- harvest handling Limited purchasing power of domestic consumers Policy of self-sufficiency in cereals > production of high value vegetables

Key points Food security Adoption to climate change Rational use of natural resources Sustainable agriculture system Employment Householders’ encouragement Livelihood

Regional strategy on vegetable crops To increase the vegetable output, improve nourishment and income and well being of poor though PGR conservation, their involvement in research activity and establishment of high productivity varieties for introduction into production and other issues oriented on agriculture development and food security The funding system and mechanism are the key terms of the regional strategy implementation

AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center Collaboration in Uzbekistan The Uzbek Research Institute of Vegetable, Melon Crops & Potato The Uzbek Research Institute of Plant Industry The Tashkent State Agrarian University Our mission: Alleviate poverty and malnutrition in the developing world through increased production and consumption of safe vegetables The Samarkand Agricultural Institute

The Uzbek Research Institute of Vegetable, Melon Crops & Potato RESEARCH: Breeding of vegetable and melon crops Seed growing Breeding and seed production of potato Technologies (improved cultivation technology, safe vegetable production, in-vitro technology, and etc.) Plant protection Physiology, bio chemistry and agro chemistry Protected ground Economics Capacity building Information distribution and publications Workshops, trainings

The Uzbek Research Institute of Vegetable, Melon Crops & Potato 67 varieties have been included in the State register

The Uzbek Research Institute of Plant Industry Collection and introduction of genetic resources of agricultural crops Quarantine control of introduced material Conservation of plant genepool and data base Complex evaluation and submission of sources and donors of valuable features to breeding institutions Introduction into production of non- traditional for the region crops.

PGR CONSERVATION World collections in UzRIPI: Grain Crops , Industrial Crops , Fodder Crops- 649, Fruit Crops and Grape- 3906, Vegetable Crops accessions

UzRIPI GenebankUzRIPI Genebank is the first genebank of plant genetic resources in the Central Asia World collections seeds of agricultural crops which are richest source of initial material for breeding of new high quality cultivars for the future generation are conserved here Now more 23 thousand accessions of 50 different agricultural crops were puted to UzRIPI Genebank for middle- term conservation. CONSERVATION

The Tashkent State Agrarian University and Capacity building for the agriculture Research work on various topics The Samarkand Agricultural Institute

Challenges of Research on Vegetables Almost all institutes are experienced the fund shortage Limited funds for conservation and evaluation of PGR Loss of local varieties due to the gradual closing down the seed production activity Personnel capacity building needs to be strengthened Limited funds and lack of projects oriented toward research of vegetable crops

Profitableness Alternative for farmers: to use of low cost or high cost technologies Improved vegetable cultivation technologies (drip irrigation, mulching, IPM and etc.) Resource save vegetable cultivation technologies Safe vegetable production New improved varieties with different duration period Supplying with a high quality seeds Infrastructure development for production, processing and marketing Vegetables export potential Business development Priority activities for Vegetable R&D

Involvement of the private sector, farms and other institutions Farmers’ interest in indigenous varieties’ cultivation can be improved through their provision with high-grade seeds and production technologies for the important indigenous vegetable crops, as well as via establishment of the output markets Vegetable crop cultivation will facilitate additional jobs creating and women involvement in the output cultivation and marketing Joint research with farmers on various directions, pilot field establishment, workshop arrangement and guideline dissemination.

Proposals for research development in terms of climate change Development of vegetable research on various directions is very important: PGR, breeding, IPM, seed production, improved cultivation technologies, diversification, economic assessment, marketing, and etc. Development of material and technical basis in research institutes, universities and farms Investment for increase research development and introduction of new crops varieties with a higher yield and improved practices into vegetable production in various agro ecologies of the republic Priority crops definition for a food security and sustainable vegetable production Research on influence of climate change on crops’ productivity in agriculture, income of farmers, consumption and a health of population

Breeding and seed growing – interconnected process of agriculture crops variety improvement

Priorities of Vegetable Variety Improvement Survey of biotic and abiotic stresses of vegetable production systems Establishment of database on the existing breeding research, and formalization of the breeding network Prioritization of consolidated breeding research targets and strategies for implementation Collection, characterization and conservation of indigenous genetic resources Exchange and testing of promising varieties Training of young researchers on both conventional and modern breeding research methodologies Joint efforts of public and private sectors on the development of vegetable seed system

Research priorities in seed production : Enlarging research on vegetable seed growing Improvement of the seed production technology Identification of the most favourable zones for seed growing within relevant countries Improvement of harvest methods and post harvest seed treatment Deepening of the research on assessment of seedling and non-seedling method of seed growing to produce seeds of biennial vegetable crops Development of the integral pre-harvest seed preparation system

Proposals for research development in terms of climate change (cont.) In the context of climate projections for the future and temperature increasing, a more marginal and risky agricultural production environment: Heat resistant, drought resistant and salt tolerant vegetable crops’ varieties development Introduction of non-traditional crops Vegetable production in off-season time in greenhouses and tunnels

Vegetable production in off-season time Drip irrigation, hydroponics

Proposals for research development in terms of climate change (cont.) In mean annual precipitation in summer increase: –Development of appropriated varieties, resistant to diseases and flooding –Improved technologies adoption Increased exposure to new pests and diseases for agricultural crops and adoption of existing pests –IPM, resistant varieties development A progressive worsening of the projected water deficit: –Drip irrigation and hydroponics technologies adoption –Improved early maturing varieties development –Vegetable legumes use for a soil fertility improvement

Crop diversification Early maturing, high yielding legumes crops’ varieties for soil fertility improvement

Proposals for research development in terms of climate change (cont.) Increasing of length of growing season: –Changed cropping system, crop diversification, new crops introduction, including non-traditional crops, early maturing varieties for repeated crops –Increasing farm income through off-season production of high value vegetables under affordable solar-energy based greenhouse

Capacity Building bridging the gap Transfer of materials, technologies & tools Training Supply & management of information Technical assistance & cooperation programs Regional collaboration & partnerships Strategies for Capacity Building

Information Dissemination through Farmers Days, Exhibitions, News Letters, Posters, Leaflets and Data Base

Capacity building Improvement of educational programs in universities, institutes and schools Skill formation, professional improvement and trainings of executive stuff, specialists and farmers Information distribution Integrating biodiversity in the intensification of vegetable production and market systems International collaboration potential development

Thank you for your attention!