11.07.2024
The Uzbek delegation, represented by scientists from the “Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers” National Research University (“TIIAME” NRU) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), visited Germany during July 1-5, 2024. The main aim was to participate in a number of scientific workshops.
On July 3, the ZALF scientists organized a SusWEF final project meeting in the first part of the day. The main objective was to disseminate the findings of the project and to foster discussions on the challenges hindering technology adoption in irrigated agriculture in Uzbekistan. The project team presented the results and agreed on the next steps, including scientific publications. SusWEF partners and interested experts working in this area of research participated in the meeting. This bilateral project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Uzbek Agency for Innovative Development.
In the second part of the same day, an international workshop on Sustainability of Irrigated Agriculture under Climate Change in Central Asia took place. The aim was to have a broader discussion on available scientific knowledge and identification of research needs in Central Asia with a focus on water sector transformation, energy management, food security, environmental integrity and climate change. The workshop started with welcome speeches from the BMBF/DLR, the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the Federal Republic of Germany, and the representative of the “TIIAME” NRU. In addition, scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), the Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), the Dresden University of Technology, the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and the Humboldt University of Berlin participated in the workshop and presented their research results. The workshop concluded that under the conditions of global climate change and water scarcity in Central Asia, the implementation of innovative solutions for sustainable irrigated agriculture is key: e.g. promoting water- and energy-saving technologies, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, introducing crop diversification, improving soil organic carbon, supported by systemic and integrated research cooperation. Both events were held at the Leibniz Association in Berlin.
On July 4, a workshop on the possible establishment of a joint Living Lab in the field of irrigated agriculture at the “TIIAME” NRU in Uzbekistan was held at ZALF. The main aim was to exchange ideas and agree on next steps. It was agreed to develop a potential concept and discuss it with the ZALF management. The delegation also visited UGT to explore the latest water- and soil-related equipment. These events were funded by ZALF, the SusWEF “Germany-Uzbekistan” partnership project, the DFG, and the Humboldt University of Berlin (Erasmus+ programme).
more information:
