Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on the sidelines of the Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment (UNFSS+4), Uzbekistan’s Minister of Agriculture Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov held talks with representatives of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).

During the meeting, ICARDA representatives proposed establishing direct cooperation with Uzbekistan’s Agricultural Coordination Center (ACC) to support the implementation of the country’s National Agriculture Development Strategy.

It was noted that ICARDA ranks fourth globally among plant genetic resource centers and possesses significant scientific expertise in the field of plant genetics. The parties agreed to step up collaboration in this area.

Given that ICARDA’s head in Ethiopia specializes in livestock, the discussion also covered the prospects for joint programs aimed at professional training and knowledge exchange for Uzbek specialists.

Minister Abdurakhmonov invited ICARDA to join the HECI (Humanity, Ethics, Creativity, Imagination) initiative, which seeks to promote innovative and human-centered approaches in the agricultural sector.