Specialists on extension of agriculture and advisory services for farmers takes place

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Regional training for trainers on strengthening agricultural extension services and advisory services for farmers was held in Tashkent.

The event was organized by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Sub-regional Office for Central Asia in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan for participants from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Agriculture in the countries of Central Asia is still in the process of liberalization and a transition to an economy based on free market principles. Many farmers do not have agricultural education and in-depth experience, and their access to information and advisory services in the agricultural sector is limited.

Most countries in Central Asia have non-governmental organizations that specialize in agricultural extension and are supported by international development organizations. At the same time, improving crop production and increasing yields require strengthening the capacity and technical knowledge of specialists from such NGOs.

“Not all specialists in agricultural extension services have agricultural education or skills to work with farmers. Many of them were formerly schoolteachers or technicians. Therefore, the project supports public and private providers of extension services in order to improve technical capacity and expand knowledge of modern crop production management, - said Hafiz Muminjanov, FAO specialist in agriculture.

The workshop was organized under the project “Strengthening the Capacity of Agricultural Extension Services in Central Asia”, which is funded by the FAO Technical Cooperation Program.

The results of the project should be advanced agricultural extension services that can provide timely and effective support to farmers in rural areas to implement improved crop, land and water management, pest control, and climate change mitigation practices. The key components of the project are to assist countries in the region in developing strategies for the effective development of extension services and capacity building of specialists.

“Improving advisory services will also benefit natural resource managers by improving quality and increasing the supply of goods and services in agricultural production on a more sustainable basis,” said Hafiz Muminjanov.

A study conducted in Tajikistan on sustainable agricultural practices to mitigate the effects of climate change, showed not only a low level of knowledge about such methods among farmers, but also the presence of gender differences. Women and men in agriculture face different situations in general and in relation to extension services, in particular.

In general, farmers receive information on sustainable practices from other farmers, but in rural households headed by women do not seem to receive the same amount of knowledge sharing as farmers headed by men. This knowledge gap is one of the factors in reducing opportunities for women farmers.

“In this regard, the project will focus on training specialists in the dissemination of knowledge among both men and women who, in turn, will be able to provide support in enhancing the capabilities of women farmers,” said Nevena Alexandrova-Stefanova, spread agricultural knowledge.

Improving the technical knowledge and capacity of technical specialists in extension services will provide better services to farmers, women and men, not only to increase productivity, but also to reduce the needy segments of the population, as well as to enhance food security in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals until 2030.