FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme and Turkmenistan Collaborate to Combat Wheat Rust Diseases

The FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme (FTPP) and Turkmenistan successfully concluded a two-day workshop in Ashgabat focused on developing a National Strategy and Contingency Plan for the prevention and management of wheat rust diseases in Turkmenistan.

Held from 23 to 24 July 2024, the workshop was part of the ongoing project “Strengthening Regional Collaboration and National Capacities for Management of Wheat Rust Diseases (CAC-Rust)”, supported by FTPP II. The project aims to enhance regional cooperation and strengthen national capacities to combat wheat rust diseases, which pose a significant threat to food security in Central Asia and Caucasus as well as other wheat-producing regions.

The workshop, held at the Yildiz Hotel in Ashgabat, brought together over 30 participants, including experts, government officials and stakeholders, to assess the status of wheat rust diseases, related capacities, and as a follow up, to determine the required actions to improve prevention and management of wheat rust diseases in Turkmenistan. Representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Ministry of Agriculture of Turkmenistan, the Turkish Embassy in Ashgabat and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Türkiye made presentations and exchanged ideas, providing valuable insights and data on the current situation regarding wheat rust diseases.

The workshop highlighted the importance of sustainable agricultural practices, productivity enhancement and improving farmers’ livelihoods as well as the value of strengthened collaboration between countries and international organizations like FAO.

Key outcomes of the workshop include a set of recommendations for the prevention and management of wheat rust diseases as part of a comprehensive National Strategy and Contingency Plan. The strategy outlines the institutional setting, specific actions needed and responsibilities to ensure effective prevention and management of the diseases in the country.

The participants of the workshop acknowledged the support and collaboration opportunities provided by the project and the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme. They also expressed their appreciation for the efforts made to develop a National Strategy and Contingency Plan for the prevention and management of wheat rust diseases in Turkmenistan. The information gathered at the workshop will form the basis of the strategy and the contingency plan.

The participants agreed that the effectivenes of wheat rust disease management efforts in the country would be enhanced by prioritizing preventive measures, developing a strong wheat breeding programme to improve disease resistant varieties and strengthening the seed production sector. The recommendations also included the formulation of a robust monitoring and early warning framework and the provision of more investment in human resource development, as well as the strengthening of collaborations with national and international organizations like FAO, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT). It is believed that these efforts will improve the sustainability of wheat production and resilience of agriculture in the country over the long term by reducing dependency on imported seeds and the use of chemical pesticides.

At the closing session, Suat Kaymak, Head of the Plant Health Research Department of the General Directorate of Agricultural Research of Türkiye, indicated that his organization is happy to collaborate with Turkmenistan through the FAO-Türkiye Partnership Programme. Kerimnazar Mametgulov, Senior Rust Researcher from the Ministry of Agriculture expressed his gratitude for the support provided by the project to improve wheat rust management in the country. Fazil Dusunceli, Agriculture Officer of FAO and the technical lead of the project, stated that “the workshop was a key activity of the project and that the outcomes will form a solid basis for a strong national strategy for more effective management of wheat rust diseases in the country”. He concluded the workshop by adding that the workshop provides a good example for similar activities in other project countries in the region.