Dashoguz, August 1, 2019: A seminar was held at the Agroinformation Center of the Goroglu etrap, Dashoguz velayat on the topic of identifying alternative sources of income through the application of innovative technologies for sustainable practices. The event was held as part of the project “Supporting climate resilient livelihoods in agricultural communities in drought-prone areas of Turkmenistan”, jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Turkmenistan, funded by the Global Environment Facility.

The seminar was attended by 20 people - agricultural scientists, teachers of the Turkmen Agricultural Institute, agronomists, tenants, farmers, entrepreneurs. Seminar participants heard and discussed presentations and messages on the development of alternative sources of income for local people through the introduction of the latest scientific achievements in the rational use of water resources and the application of innovative technologies in agriculture.

“The bulk of the rural population of the project regions is engaged in agriculture in irrigated areas. Their socio-economic situation directly depends on the effective use of irrigation water. Therefore, the project helps farmers to increase farm productivity and better prepare them for the worsening situation of increasing water shortages, and at the same time project tries to familiarize communities with alternative sources of income,” says project specialist Ovezdurdy Dzhumadurdyev.

Alternative sources of income are determined in the process of joint adaptation planning. To this end, the project conducted an analysis of households to determine alternative sources of income. According to the analysis, the income of rural households in the project regions is formed from the following sources:

1) Income derived from work in daikhan associations;

2) Income from the sale of agricultural products (personal subsidiary household);

3) The value of the consumption consumed within the household agricultural products from personal subsidiary plots;

4) Non-agricultural income from self-employment, trading activities, the provision of services, as well as income from property, that is, from the rental of housing, premises, etc.;

5) Pensions and other social assistance, including sadaka;

During the seminar, participants identified the main activities that provide alternative sources of income for the local population. As it became known that gardening, horticulture, beekeeping, poultry farming and animal husbandry in household plots are the main activities that provide alternative sources of income.

The workshop participants noted that the main problem in the development of adaptation measures is the lack of organized initiative groups. When each interested individual promotes his personal interests, the meaning of the implemented measures is lost - common problems and a collective solution are relegated to the background.

Particular attention was paid to the effective use of new agricultural technology, contributing to an increase in production and improving the quality of agricultural products, and a number of other relevant topics. Participants also heard presentations from invited scientists on the topics of bio humus production, restoration of saline waste and resource conservation in agriculture.