Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- From 3 to 7 July 2022, delegations led by the ministers of agriculture of countries from the Organization of Turkic States (OTC), as well as the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) took part in a series of events organized by in Tashkent by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Among the main events are the First Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the Organization of Turkic States (OTC) and the First Turkic Agroforum held within its framework, as well as the VII meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the ECO member countries.

The remaining meetings were held in the format of meetings of working groups and meetings of experts in the field of agricultural development of the countries participating in the OTC and ECO.

Khusrav Noziri, Secretary General of the Economic Cooperation Organization:

“Uzbekistan is one of the important and key members of the ECO. I would like to congratulate the host Republic of Uzbekistan for the successful hosting of this event, during which we adopted the final document - the Tashkent Declaration on cooperation in the field of agriculture and food security. At this meeting, topical issues of cooperation within the framework of our organization on agriculture were discussed. The emphasis is on ensuring food security.

In my speech, I noted that the world produces enough food to feed the entire population of the globe. But, unfortunately, a large percentage of the world’s population suffers from malnutrition, and in some cases people go hungry. The ECO region also has a percentage of the population that is undernourished. This issue was in the focus of attention of the ministers of agriculture of our organization. Proposals and mechanisms were considered for the speedy overcoming of the solution of this topical issue. Our organization has a special regional program on food security, and there is also a special regional coordinating center for agriculture and food security.”

VII meeting of the ministers of agriculture of the member countries of the economic cooperation organization

On 5-6 July, in Tashkent, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a working expert meeting and the VII Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) were held.

The main participants were the ministers in the field of agriculture of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, the director of the National Center for Agriculture of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as a representative of international agricultural and environmental organizations.

The main topic was food security and the creation of favorable conditions for facilitating trade between the ECO member countries. Particular attention was paid to the development of the seed sector, since this particular area of agriculture is directly related to food security.

During the VII meeting of the ministers of agriculture of the ECO member countries, the meeting discussed the draft Declaration on agriculture of the ECO countries.

The chairing party, represented by the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev, put forward a number of initiatives for the strategic partnership of the ECO countries in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO):

1. Support for household and gardening.

2. Development of agricultural cooperatives in Uzbekistan together with the ECO countries.

3. Close interaction of the ECO countries in personnel matters.

4.Activization of cooperation in the field of organic production in agriculture. 

5. Creation of better conditions for seed trade, implementation of joint projects with the active involvement of specialists in this field. 

6.Digitalization of agriculture. 

7.Development of agritourism between ECO countries.

8.Strengthening cooperation in food security.

“Uzbekistan highly appreciates the rapidly developing relations with the countries of the Economic Cooperation Organization. The ECO countries are the oldest centers for the development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Some global factors, such as climate change, population growth, environmental degradation, impede the development of agriculture, - said the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan Jamshid Khodjaev. “In this regard, we consider it necessary to develop an ECO Food Security Cooperation Strategy together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).”

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO). Regional interstate economic organization, formed in 1985 by the countries of Central Asia and the Middle East. Since 1992, the activities of the ECO have significantly intensified due to the voluntary accession of 7 new states - Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. At the 50th session of the UN General Assembly in 1995, a Resolution on cooperation with the ECO was adopted and since then the ECO has enjoyed observer status in the UN. The ECO also has observer status in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). In the relations between the ECO countries, economic components prevail and the political orientation is less pronounced.

Events with the participation of delegations from the ATC countries

Earlier, on 4 July 2022, the First Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Organization of Turkic States (OTC) and the First Turkic Agricultural Forum were held in Tashkent.

The events were attended by the Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Baghdad Amreev, ministers in the field of agriculture Inam Karimov (Azerbaijan), Yerbol Karashukeev (Kazakhstan), Askarbek Zhanybekov (Kyrgyzstan), Vakhit Kirishchi (Turkey), representatives of observer countries from the system of ministries of agriculture Oscar Ekrosh (Hungary) and Begmyrat Ataev (Turkmenistan), as well as officials of relevant departments, representatives of relevant organizations and leading companies, international and regional organizations.

“We are witnessing the rapid development of multifaceted relations between our countries,” said the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Jamshid Khodjaev. – Agriculture and agro-industry are the main asset for the sustainable socio-economic development of the OTC member states. During the presidency of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the OTC, a number of new initiatives were put forward, in particular, the first initiative to organize a meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the OTC member countries was approved. Our proposal to hold the First Turkic Agro-Forum in order to systematically hold these events was fully supported. And I am proud that today I am participating with you in this historic event, and that this important event, which is held for the first time, immediately takes on a practical shape.”

The main focus of the Turkic Agro-Forum in Uzbekistan was aimed at expanding economic interconnections in the agro-industrial complex, including increasing trade and mobilizing investments in mutually beneficial projects between member states and observers. The purpose of the forum is to create a single discussion platform on key issues of cooperation in agriculture.

Within the framework of the event, B2B meetings were held, in which businessmen of the countries participating in the OTC took part.

“Today we have come together to listen to the forum participants, identify their needs, comprehensively support their ideas and proposals, as we have many opportunities for this,” commented OTC Secretary General Baghdad Amreev. - According to calculations, by 2050 it will be necessary to provide about three billion more people with food products. This means that the agricultural sector should produce two-thirds more products. This is not an easy task that we must do together.”

At the First Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the OTC, which was moderated by the Minister of Agriculture of the host country Jamshid Khodjaev, the parties assessed the existing cooperation in the field of agriculture, and also specifically focused on the main issues of developing and strengthening cooperation in a number of areas in the agricultural and food sectors.

Among them, building the capacity and increasing the productivity of agriculture through the exchange of technologies, experience, best practices, exploring the possibility of cooperation in the production of herbal products and medicinal herbs. The potential for agricultural trade between Member States and Observers and the possibility of increasing intra-regional trade in agricultural commodities was also discussed.

As a result of the meeting, a Communiqué was signed on the establishment of working expert subgroups in the main areas of practical cooperation of the OTC in the agricultural sector, including the introduction of modern technologies and innovative solutions, the rational use of land and water resources, as well as the exchange of experience and knowledge, the application of best practices and the conduct of scientific research .

The Ministerial Meeting is planned to be held on an annual basis in the territory of one of the member states of the OTC at the initiative of the parties or in alphabetical order.