Project Component #3 Building capacity of partners

Background information

The Institute of Botany, Plant Physiology and Genetics of the Tajik Academy of Sciences remains the main center of research for developing potato varieties for Tajikistan. Lack of funding for fundamental science and the agricultural sector is hampering development of research in this area. CIP, supported by USAID funding, will assist the institute with the technical support and equipment necessary to produce clean planting material of potato and sweet potato. CIP will support improvements in potato production sector in Tajikistan through the creation of linkages between science and production.

 

Activities to be implemented:

  1. Actively involve the Institute of Botany, Plant Physiology and Genetics of the Tajik Academy of Sciences staff, TAWA project staff, TAWA partners, and all stakeholders involved in potato seed production in project activities.
  2. Build capacity to produce potato seeds on a commercial basis.
  3. Provide necessary protocols for producing potato and sweet potato seeds and seedlings.
  4. Transfer new promising varieties of potato and sweet potato.

 

Results to be achieved:

  1. Increased volume and quality of planting material produced by the institute
  2. Greater knowledge on the part of institute workers relating to best practices for efficiently producing planting material of high quality.
  3. Appropriate technology available in the institute for monitoring quality of planting material.

 

Project Outcomes:

  • Mitigate the impact of inevitable climate change on small and medium potato producing farms in Central Asia.
  • Mitigate the impact of malnutrition problems in the country by producing sweet potato.
  • Mitigate dietary deficiencies, increase potato productivity, and improve stability, competitiveness, and family income of resource poor farmers in water stress-prone areas in Central Asia.

Improve NARS, advisors and farmers’ skills of sweet potato and potato production innovative techniques