Workshop for countries of Central Asia and Caucasus is organized by FAO/AGSI in cooperation with GFAR with the purpose to determine the problems of post-harvest sector, reveal its potential and restricting factors of its development.

The preparatory work on the Workshop arrangement was organized by the National Academician Center of Agrarian Research (NACAR, Almaty) at the head of Dr. A. Satybaldin, the Chairman of the Agricultural Research Forum for Central Asia and Caucasus, Director General NACAR.

During the period of August-December 2001 and January-February 2002 NACAR kept close contacts with Research Centers and Ministries of Agriculture of countries-participants, gave information on current situation on Workshop preparation and any changes occurred. At initial stage Turkmenistan refused from participation, and Ukraine joined at the latest stage.

NACAR kept close e-mail contacts with Secretariat in Rome.

Partners of National Systems of Agrarian Research presented to the Organizing Committee headed by academician Clara Tulemissova and professor Vladimir Grigoruk the reports of participants. They include general information about the country, the existing state of post-harvest sector, analysis of the reasons causing restriction of its development.

As the Workshop like this was arranged in the region for the first time and its participants were presented by specialists of different profile (economists, technologists on processing, agronomists and etc.) their reports also differ in content, list and range of problems. By the Workshop beginning the Proceedings were prepared in Russian and English later distributed among the participants.

On their basis the general report of professor Azimkhan Satybaldin “Post-harvest Development Status and Opportunities in the Countries of Central Asia and Caucasus” and sub-regional reports of professor Vladimir Grigoruk “Post-harvest Development Status and Opportunities in the Countries of Central Asia (Kazakhstan)” and Dr. Michael Oganessyan “Post-harvest Development Status and Opportunities in the Countries of Caucasus” were prepared.

On February 20-21 the reports of other participants of the Workshop from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan were presented according to the agenda (enclosed). The representatives of Kazakhstan presented the most detailed information on the experience of post-harvest sector research. Heads of the Institutes of grain and products of its processing, food industry, potato and vegetable growing, representatives of business took part in the discussion.

The work of the Workshop was provided with computer technique, simultaneous translation. The exhibition of new food products, manufactured by Almaty enterprises, was arranged at foyer of the conference hall.

For analysis of strong and weak sides, possibilities and dangers of post-harvest sector two Working Groups were set – one for the region of Caucasus, another- for Central Asia.

Delegation from Azerbaijan in connection to inter-state conflict refused to be in the group with Armenia and joined the group of Central Asian countries.

During long discussions in the Working Groups and at General session the following points concerning post-harvest sector were agreed:

1. Favorable climate conditions and fertile soil resources

2.Cheap labor force

3.Scientific potential

4. Favorable tax and customs legislation

5. Transport infrastructure

1.Non-efficient state strategy

2. Lack of finance in the whole post-harvest chain

3. Rather small scaled land plots and absence of cooperation

4. Weak management and marketing

5. High transport tariffs and power energy price

1 Use of scientific potential for joint inter-region projects development

2. Set of informational network to satisfy the needs of post-harvest sector

3. Arrange the production of high quality vine, cognac, brandy, natural flavours,

spices and cigarettes to satisfy demands in the region

4. Organization of high quality seeds breeding to guarantee the long live and quality of raw materials for post-harvest chain

5. Involvement of scientific and technical potential to serve the needs of post-harvest sector

5. International ecological penetration of diseases and etc.