WORKSHOP DEDICATED TO DEVELOPMENT OF EXTENSION SERVICE FOR FARMERS IN CENTRAL ASIAN REPUBLICS
A workshop organized by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in association with ISC ICWC and IWMI took place on 1 December 2004 in ICWC Training Center.
The aim of the workshop was to discuss the program of joint action for organization and development of extension service in water sector and agriculture in the Ferghana Valley.
Representatives from SDC, SIC ICWC, IWMI, SANIIRI, Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Sogd province administration, regional projects - SogdAgroService (Tajikistan), RAS – Rural Extension Services (Kyrgyzstan), IWRM-Ferghana, donor organizations - JICA, USAID – took part in the workshop.
SDC funds 3 projects, aimed at improving water and land productivity in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan by developing extension service for farmers:
- RAS Project being implemented by Helvetas Co. in Kyrgyzstan;
- FOM Project being implemented in Sogd province, Tajikistan;
- IWRM-Ferghana Project.
The following presentations were made:
- Prof. V.A. Dukhovny, SIC ICWC Director, - “Main Tasks and Directions of Extension Service Activities”;
- M. Arbenz, RAS Project Manager in Kyrgyzstan, - “Organizational Structure and Direction of Rural Extension Service Activities in Kyrgyzstan”;
- H. Woldring, SogdAgroService Project Manager in Tajikistan, - “Organizational Structure and Direction of SogdAgroService Activities in Tajikistan”;
- S. Mukhamedjanov, manager of the activity “Water and Land Productivity at Farm Level” of the IWRM-Ferghana Project for SIC ICWC, - “Adaptation of Results in Extension Service. Prospects of Extension Service Development in the Ferghana Valley”;
- Abdullayev, senior water specialist of the IWRM-Ferghana Project from IWMI, - “IWMI Proposals for Development of Extension Service”;
- consultants from SDC J. Gely and J. Kraehenbuele.
The participants of the meeting concluded:
1. The current situation with agricultural development in Central Asia requires intensive development of extension service from the position of satisfying needs of farmers for diverse information and helping them solve many problems, communicating with external agricultural partners, familiarizing with developed cropping practices. In this connection, there is need for common extension service including:
- information on potential and prices for materials, fertilizers, chemicals, seeds;
- crediting service;
- marketing information on expected prices and need for agricultural products;
- legal service;
- sectoral needs of animal husbandry, veterinary service, pest control.
Along with this, there is a need for specialized service related to developing recommendations for farmers in regard to their fields and production conditions including:
- recommendations for improving land fertility;
- recommendations for cropping techniques;
- recommendations for irrigation regime;
- recommendations for land reclamation improvement.
Furthermore, there is a too big need for training farmers in concurrence with specificity of their farms.
2. The RAS Project provides a great number of different consultations, aimed at satisfaction of farmer demands based on their interests within the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic through the network of province- and district-level organizations as well as of farms. The component of land fertility and irrigated farming has not been developed by any general technique. The FOM Project is based on organization with the participation of farmers of the SogdAgroService, and covers mainly the issues of general information on targeted introduction of certain innovations such as laser land leveling, direct water supply to furrows through siphons and many others. Both the projects to some degree build their relations with farmers on commercial basis, while the donors cover considerable part of expenses.
3. The IWRM-Ferghana Project focused its attention on applying developed methods for raising land fertility first on 10 farms, then other 20 surrounding farm fields where the possibility of significant reduction in water losses and increase in water and land productivity was demonstrated. This work showed that when certification and maintenance costs are respectively $20/ha and $5-6/ha, growth in productivity amounts to $32/ha at the minimum, i.e. costs are compensated during one year. Thus, there is a possibility of transition in this kind of servicing to commercial basis after preliminary reconnaissance.
4. It is expedient to determine extension service activity in three versions:
- develop the “reclamated land fertility” component in two current projects of SDC in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on commercial basis (with priority of IWRM-Ferghana Project area);
- identify methods, means and organizations;
- disseminate methods for raising water productivity, developed at the first phase of the IWRM-Ferghana Project in Uzbek zone.
5. It is necessary to determine farmer training program in all zones of pilot canals, based on poll and analysis of farmer needs simultaneously using already prepared material of demonstration plots.
6. Based on the mentioned recommendations, a component program for the second phase of the IWRM-Ferghana Project will be prepared.
REGIONAL WORKSHOP FOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM JIZAK, KASHKADARYA, SAMARKAND, SURKHANDARYA, SYRDARYA, TASHKENT PROVINCE DEPARTMENTS OF POPULAR SCHOOLING UNDER THE PROJECT ‘TRAINING COURSE IN WATER RESOURCES FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UZBEKISTAN’
A regional workshop under the project ‘Training Course in Water Resources for Secondary Schools in Uzbekistan’ took place in Urgench, 3-4 December 2004.
The aim of the workshop was to familiarize the methodologists and teachers selected in the mentioned provinces with preparatory materials on water resources state, problems, use, as well as with the tasks to integrate these issues into state standards of educational programs for secondary schools.
Head of BVO “Amudarya” Y.K. Khudaybergenov and representative of Khorezm province department of popular schooling S. Sultanov addressed their welcoming speeches to the participants.
At the workshop the following presentations were made:
- “Water and future”, on behalf of Prof. V.A. Dukhovny
- “State standard of secondary education and need for improving curriculums for a number of school subjects, by integrating water issues into them”, Prof. R.K. Jurayev
- “Comprehensive familiarization of secondary school pupils with the current state of fresh water resources - a demand of the time”, Dr. R.K. Ikramov.
- “Prospects of Socio-Economic Development in the Aral Sea Basin States”, V. Prihodko, SIC ICWC senior researcher.
- “Ways to integrate water issues into curriculums for school subjects – geography, chemistry, history, basics of economics and laws”, A.A. Kadyrov, honored irrigator of Uzbekistan.
- “Preparation and holding of a training seminar on water resources use for teachers”, Prof. E.O.Turdykulov.
The participants of the workshop made the following common proposals:
- according to the joint decision of the Ministry of Public Education, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources and Ministry of Public Health of Uzbekistan, develop a common action program for integration of these issues into state standards of educational programs for secondary schools (December-January 2005);
- develop an educational program for pupils of 5th to 9th grades in water problems (January-March 2005);
- develop an educational guidance for pupils of 5th to 9th grades in five sheets (April-May 2005);
- develop a methodical guidance for teachers on three sheets (May-June 2005);
- organize retraining and advanced training of teachers (June-August 2005);
- approve curriculums regarding water issues for 5th to 9th grades (from September 2006);
- hold contest shows “Tomchi suvda khayot jilvasi” from 2006 and encourage winners:
first stage – up to 1 March in general educational institutions
second stage – up to 10 March on a urban district scale
third stage – on 22 March in the provinces and Karakalpakstan
fourth stage – on 30 March at national level.
The participants of the workshop noted urgency of the issues raised, and expressed wish to cooperate in the project development in future.
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