Feed the Future Tajikistan Agriculture and Water Activity Quarterly Report January 2016 – March 2016 (Q2 FY 2016)

The activity aims to address dietary deficiencies and market surplus production by introducing and building on modern technologies and practices to support the growth and sustainable development of the agriculture extension, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and irrigation sectors. During the second quarter of FY 2016, the activity partnered with the Swiss input supplier Syngenta, local input supplier Neksigol, and the John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program to administer 43 trainings for 1,083 public sector extension agents, local input suppliers, wholesalers, and farmers. The trainings covered a wide range of topics, including soil testing and fertility, selection of quality hybrid vegetable and forage seeds, and modern techniques of fruit orchard management. The activity also partnered with the USAID-supported Tajikistan Nutrition-Sensitive Vegetable Technologies Project and Women's Entrepreneurship for Empowerment Project to introduce farmers in the zone of influence (ZOI) to modern techniques of backyard and greenhouse vegetable and vegetable seedling production. In February 2016, the activity purchased and distributed 80,000 tomato and sweet pepper seeds, seedling production supplies, and tunnel greenhouse frames to 20 women-farmers in eight districts of the ZOI. In late March 2016, the activity purchased and distributed 84,180 tomato, cucumber, and sweet pepper seedlings to 366 women-farmers to promote backyard vegetable production and 18 farmers hosting modern greenhouses constructed by the Vegetable Technologies Project. The activity-supported fruit orchard management brigades grafted 15,575 fruit tree saplings and pruned more than 12,700 fruit trees. The activity's technical activities are focused on supporting the development of a modern extension and advisory system, increasing access and production of vegetables, orchard fruits, and dairy products, and improving the availability of irrigation water to smallholders. The activity's interventions during the second quarter of FY 2016 included trainings on vegetable, fruit, and forage production, trainings on backyard gardening, and Neksigol trainings and demonstrations. The activity also partnered with the Vegetable Technologies Project and the Health and Nutrition Activity to improve greenhouse and open field vegetable production in the ZOI. The activity's vegetable production specialists monitored and provided technical assistance to nine greenhouse farmers throughout the vegetable seedlings' production cycle. The activity's efforts have resulted in the distribution of seeds, seedling production supplies, and tunnel greenhouse frames to women-farmers in the ZOI, as well as the grafting of fruit tree saplings and pruning of fruit trees. The activity's technical activities are focused on supporting the development of a modern extension and advisory system, increasing access and production of vegetables, orchard fruits, and dairy products, and improving the availability of irrigation water to smallholders.