FAO strengthens national capacities in Tajikistan to manage dryland beetle threat
10 December 2025
10 December 2025, Dushanbe – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has concluded a three-day training programme aimed at equipping Tajik national specialists with the skills needed to address the growing threat of dryland beetles to pastures and rain-fed agriculture. The course, “Capacity Building of Survey Teams on the Identification of Dryland Beetles, Field Observation, Data Collection, and Mapping Tools”, was held from 3 to 5 December 2025 and focused on strengthening national monitoring and management capacities for this increasingly harmful pest.
The event was jointly supported by two FAO initiatives: the FAO/GEF regional project “Lifecycle Management of Pesticides and Disposal of POPs Pesticides in Central Asian Countries and Türkiye”, and the national TCP project “Strengthening National Capacities of Tajikistan on Locust and Dryland Beetle (Rhizotrogus fortis) Management”. FAO expressed appreciation for the strong partnership of the State Entity for Plant Protection and Agricultural Chemicals (SEPPAC) of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Twenty-one SEPPAC plant protection specialists took part in the intensive programme led by international expert Suat Kaymak. The training combined technical presentations with practical field exercises, providing participants with improved expertise in survey design, accurate pest identification, and the use of modern digital tools for data collection, analysis, and mapping.
“This training builds the expertise Tajik specialists need to improve the monitoring and management of dryland beetles – a growing threat to pastures and rain-fed agriculture. Strengthening these national capacities is essential for timely surveillance and informed action. We value the cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and SEPPAC, whose partnership enhances our collective efforts to protect agricultural resources and support rural communities,” emphasized Aghasi Harutyunyan, FAO Representative a.i. in Tajikistan.
The programme covered key elements of effective pest surveillance, including:
- Current status and impact of dryland beetles in Tajikistan
- Pest biology and behavior
- Principles and importance of survey, monitoring, and forecasting
- Field survey techniques and data-reporting procedures
- Planning and implementation of national surveillance programmes
- A field demonstration on Rhizotrogus (Xanthotrogus) fortis Reitter
This initiative represents a significant step forward in FAO’s continued support to Tajikistan. By strengthening national capacities to detect and manage dryland beetles, FAO is contributing to improved pest management systems, more resilient food production, and the protection of rural livelihoods dependent on healthy pastures and productive rain-fed land.
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