Konisboy Khabibullaev from Bozatau district of Karakalpakstan has high hopes for a new fruit tree nursery built on his personal plot.

In a few years, trees will grow and bring a high yield of cherries, apples and mulberries, and Konisboy will be able to make a good profit increasing his livelihood.

The fruit tree nursery was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as part of a Joint Programme implemented in cooperation with UNDP and UNFPA and aimed at strengthening the adaptive capacity of vulnerable citizens of the Aral Sea region to address the difficulties of economic and food insecurity. The Joint Programme is funded by the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region in Uzbekistan.

“We aim to increase livelihoods of rural people, empower women and youth by promoting innovative agricultural methods at the household level in the Aral Sea region and introducing best practices and experience for further socio-economic development of the Aral Sea region”, said Sherzod Umarov, Assistant FAO Representative in Uzbekistan.

In total, under the scope of the project, FAO built three fruit tree nurseries in three households in Muynak, Kungrad and Bozatau districts of Karakalpakstan. In general, more than 3,000 seedlings were planted. FAO provided the beneficiaries with the necessary equipment for horticulture and most importantly, with new knowledge and skills during a series of trainings organized for the rural population of the project areas.

A series of trainings began in December last year, since then, 31 trainings have been organized with the participation of 816 people, including 552 women. The participants of the trainings studied the advanced foreign experience in livestock, horticulture, water-saving technologies in agriculture, conservation agriculture and fish farming. The trainings were conducted in partnership with the Research Institute of Fisheries of Uzbekistan, the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) and the Association of Rural Women of Uzbekistan.

In particular, from May 10 to 14, 2022, trainings on conservation agriculture were held in Muynak and Kungrad districts, and from May 16 to 20, similar trainings were held on fish farming.

Within the framework of the project, it is planned to hand over the necessary equipment for establishing fishery ponds. One of the beneficiaries was Sadyk Duisenbaev from the Bozatau district of Karakalpakstan, who built a reservoir on his personal plot to grow fish for sale. FAO provided the farmer with all necessary support, including the transfer and installation of an aerator, an automatic feeder and other necessary equipment, as well as a food base and fish for breeding in the amount of 3,000. 

“I am going to breed fish for sale, because it is a profitable business. During the trainings organized by FAO, I learned a lot about the organization of fish farming, studied issues such as amelioration and fertilization of ponds, fish feeding, the hydrochemical regime of ponds and pools, and much more. The knowledge gained will help me realize a commercial idea and thereby increase my income”, said Sadyk Duisenbaev.

As part of the project, two more fish ponds are being established in Muynak and Kungrad districts, respectively. All of this will contribute to increasing the incomes of rural communities, promoting innovative agricultural practices and piloting new initiatives.

UzA