Agriculture for Marginal Lands in Central Asia

Problem Overview

in the Aral Sea and Caspian Sea Basins are struggling to grow enough food and animal feed to meet the need of a fast growing population. The situation is further exacerbated due to the magnitude of land degradation and salinity, coupled with inappropriate cropping patterns especially the monocropping of wheat and cotton, overgrazing, and inadequate on-farm management practices. This has led to the loss of biodiversity, soil fertility and organic matter. Cumulative losses/costs associated with desertification and land degradation in the Central Asia (CA) region-Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan-has been estimated at $2.5 billion.
 

Increase agricultural productivity of marginal lands through diversification of agrobiodiversity, or cultivation of alternative salt-and drought-tolerant crops

Research Innovation Theme
Crop Productivity and Diversification
Duration
January 2012 - January 2014
Project Lead

Dr.Kristina Toderich
 

Project Region
Central Asia and Caucasus
Project Countries
Kazakhstan
Tajikistan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Partner(s)
  • International Crops Research Institute for the Semi- Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
  • International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA)