USAID Uzbekistan AgLinks Plus FY2013 Quarter 1 Report (October – December 2012)

The project's central objective is to increase incomes through improved farm level productivity, addressing the causes of low productivity in the production of grapes and other fruits. Key activities under Component 1: Improving Farm Level Productivity include improving on-farm water management and improving plant material and agronomic practices. Improving on-farm water management is a critical constraint to improved productivity. ALP started an assessment of irrigation and drainage systems and institutional structures of 10 partner organizations in November. The assessment is being implemented by two independent consultants and will provide specific recommendations to address institutional and technical issues of each partner. The final report is expected to be provided in early Q2 of FY 2013. Improving plant material and agronomic practices is another critical constraint to improved productivity. ALP will provide plant material, training, and cost-shared inputs to address these constraints. In November, ALP hired international consultant John Driver to design a tissue culture lab and supervise its establishment at the Shreder Horticulture Research Institute in Tashkent. Mr. Driver also visited partner nurseries and conducted field training on pome and stone fruits rootstock propagation. The project also conducted a seminar on cold chain management, targeting Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) and potential investors in the Uzbek cold chain. The seminar featured four US specialists presenting industry best practices in design, transport, refrigeration, management, and global marketing to enhance profitability. A total of 38 CEOs/Investors attended the day-long seminar. ALP partners from the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) also participated in the AgroFood 2012 Exhibition and Conference, held in Tashkent November 28-30. The UCCI Chairman publicly thanked USAID for its support to the development of the Uzbek agricultural sector, in general, and cold chain, in particular, during his conference opening remarks. ALP staff met with representatives of USAID's Regional Export Cooperation (REC) project to discuss possible collaborative activities. The project also continued to collaborate with the German development assistance agency (GIZ) to install three intensive orchard demonstration plots in Surkhandarya and Khorezm provinces and Karakalpakstan. GIZ staff will base their demonstration plots on the ALP model for and experience with advanced irrigation systems for intensive orchards. ALP shared the contacts of local suppliers of trellises, saplings, and irrigation systems, and responded to GIZ requests for access to ALP technical staff to assist with the technical specifications for their demonstration plots. The US Ambassador to Uzbekistan, George Krol, visited an ALP field site consisting of a CoolBot cold storage on October 11. The Ambassador's visit coincided with the persimmon and pomegranate harvest season and he witnessed the multiple varieties available on the Uzbek marketplace. The regional USAID/CAR Mission Director (acting)/Regional Legal Advisor, a Program Development Officer from the Program office, and the Director of the Economic Development Office visited ALP in November. ALP staff attended a training session at USAID held by the USAID Regional Communications Advisor, Michelle Blau, on targeting public outreach at the end of October. The DAI Home Office formally announced a reorganization from a technical to geographic structure with ALP now in the Asia Region and supported by a Home Office (HO) Project Delivery Team consisting of a Project Team Director, a Project Manager, and a Project Associate. The Home Office will reassign its current project team leaders, managers, and associates to new teams in December with the new structure taking effect on the first of January, 2013. Per a Government of Uzbekistan mandate, November marked the announcement from the project's bank that all salary payments to local staff will be made on bank debit (plastic) cards which are only convertible to cash at a 20% premium, effectively reducing purchasing power. Two support staff tendered their resignations; the IT manager (immediately) and an office assistant/driver (year's end). The plastic cards will become effective early in 2014.