Project overview:

Nursery plantings contribute to raising food production levels and improving the livelihoods of rural people. They also play a crucial role in addressing soil degradation by slowing down soil erosion in mountainous regions and other land surfaces. Rural women in pilot districts, as the most vulnerable segment of rural populations, were provided training in establishing nurseries and growing certain types of seedlings.

Initially, the project launched a nursery management plan that was prepared in collaboration with forestry and fruit nursery specialists in Tajikistan. Local village councils and development committees were provided with detailed briefings on the plan. In the course of the project, 232 households received forest and fruit tree seedlings, including pomegranate, grapes, oleaster, poplar grafts, acacia, pine, persimmon, cercis, apple, pear, peach, almond, pecan and apricot.

The seedlings were planted in six districts of Tajikistan. Different types of trees such as walnut, poplar and apricot were planted in multipurpose plantations to restore forest ecosystems. 

Farmers received training on how to set up nurseries and protective plantations, the different types of grafting, and the cultivation of fruit and non-fruit seedlings. Hands-on experience helped to consolidate the practical knowledge acquired by rural women on topics such as the production and maintenance of seedlings and marketing methods.

Key results of the project:

• 12 training sessions were conducted on growing forest and fruit tree seedlings, as well as a further 12 sessions on setting up multipurpose plantations.
• 5 000 forest and fruit tree seedlings were distributed to the beneficiaries. The annual income of households participating in the project rose by at least 30 percent.
• Nearly 230 home-based and mostly female-led nurseries in 20 villages were established in Tajikistan. At least 400 households were thus able to gain insights and knowledge of home-based nurseries.
• Thirteen publications were prepared on seedling production, nursery establishments, nursery calendar, gardening and fruit production, and growing methods for cercis and acacia.
• A report was prepared in English and Tajik on the legal framework governing seedling growing activities and opportunities for the development of home-based nurseries in Tajikistan.

Farmers received training on how to set up nurseries and protective plantations, the different types of grafting, and the cultivation of fruit and non-fruit seedlings.©FAO