FISHCap webinar spotlights Tajikistan’s fishery and aquaculture industry
Dushanbe – FISHCap’s virtual webinar series which briefs on the state of fishery and aquaculture industry, continued with Tajikistan on 26 February 2021. Diverse stakeholders participated in the webinar including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, FAO and relevant industries in the private sector from Tajikistan and Turkey. As with previous entries in the FISHCap fisheries and aquaculture series, the webinar’s regional focus enabled a focus not only on Tajikistan, but also on seven other SEC countries.
Tajikistan is a country with extensive water resources. However, the recent decrease in national fish production has highlighted the need for improvement in certain areas of the fishery and aquaculture industry. Furthermore, over the last two decades, Tajikistan’s fishery and aquaculture industry has faced several challenges including privatization and severe weather conditions, especially in 2007 and 2008.
Fortunately, being cognizant of the sector’s potential to alleviate rural poverty, achieve food security and generate employment, Tajikistan’s authorities have taken the necessary measures and developed policies to support fishery and aquaculture industry in the country. It is widely accepted that increasing the contribution of Tajikistan’s fishery and aquaculture industry to the country’s Gross National Product will help support the rural economy.
The webinar under the FISHCap project was designed to highlight the constraints, challenges, good practices, success stories, strengths and investment opportunities of the fishery and aquaculture industry in Tajikistan, acknowledging the role of private sector in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. The event included the participation of several high-level officials.
Oleg Guchgeldiyev, FAO Representative in Tajikistan, discussed a tax relief policy for the fishery and aquaculture industry enacted by the Tajikistan government with the aim of developing the sector. He also stated that Tajikistan is trying to avoid becoming an import-dependent country in this area.
Turgay Türkyılmaz, Deputy Director-General of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, emphasized that Turkey supports the sustainable management of natural resources including aquaculture.
Haydar Fersoy, Senior Fishery and Aquaculture Officer in FAO, pointed out the importance of stakeholder involvement for the fishery and aquaculture industry in Tajikistan, and stressed that the country has potential for further development in the sector.
Mirzozoda Muzaffar, Deputy Minister on Livestock Production of Tajikistan, shed light on the performance of agriculture in the country during the pandemic, noting that production has increased during the last year. Muzaffar also stated that Tajikistan needs to increase the capacity of fish farms and the production of fish food, both of which feature among current government plans.
The webinar explored the state of the industry and its performance in detail, with the participants sharing their extensive knowledge of fishery and aquaculture resources, and discussing their potential for the country. The event also created a platform for the exchange of information related to challenges and examples of best practice, as well as the identification of business investment opportunities for sector development.
Finally, the webinar contributed to the preparation for the National Aquaculture Sector Overview (NASO) for Tajikistan.
About the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programmes
The objectives of the FAO-Turkey Partnership Programmes are to provide support to ensure food security, rural poverty reduction and sustainable forest management, combat desertification and preserve ecosystems in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan and other countries of mutual interest.
Established in 2007, the first phase of the FAO Turkey Partnership Programme on Food and Agriculture (FTPP) has benefited from trust fund contributions totaling USD 10 million, financed by the Government of Turkey and represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. During the first phase of the programme, 28 projects were implemented in 16 countries between 2009-2015.
In 2014, Turkey and FAO commenced the second phase of the FTPP along with the first phase of the FAO-Turkey Forestry Partnership Programme (FTFP) with an additional fund of USD 20 million, bringing Turkey’s total contribution to USD 30 million.
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