DUSHANBE, May 6, 2016, Asia-Plus -- In a signing ceremony here yesterday, on the margins of the 30th FAO Regional Conference for Europe, Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan Izzatullo Sattori and FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva signed a host country agreement formalizing the status of FAO’s office in Tajikistan, according to FAO’s Country Office in Tajikistan.

In his remarks on the occasion, Graziano da Silva reportedly noted that the agreement would strengthen FAO''s partnership with Tajikistan and open up new opportunities for cooperation on common goals.

Cooperation between Tajikistan and FAO has been ongoing since the country joined the Organization in 1995.  FAO assistance was initially provided in the form of short-term emergency interventions to respond to a locust outbreak and help the country in its transition to stability after a spell of civil war. More recently, cooperation has shifted to a focus on rehabilitation and development interventions to build a sustainable agriculture sector and food and nutrition security.

In 2014, FAO established a fully-fledged Representation in Tajikistan with appointed FAO Representative to assist with the national strategic priorities in agriculture, with particular focus on policy and institutional reforms.

FAO has been contributing to implementation of the country’s present agrarian reform. Strengthening of the National Food Security Information System, linked to the National Food Security and Nutrition Program, development of sustainable farming systems for crop production and diversification, and implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests currently are the focus of FAO activities in Tajikistan.