Built with TİKA’s Support, Tajikistan’s First Fruit Tree Nursery Was Put Into Service

The orchard and fruit tree nursery of 25.000 sq. meters built by Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) in the training and scientific research farm owned by Tajik Agrarian University Named Shirinsho Shotemur was opened.

The opening ceremony was attended by Muzaffar Mirzozoda, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan; İbrahim Erbir, TİKA’s Coordinator in Dushanbe; Usmon Mahmadyorzoda, Rector of Tajik Agrarian University Named Shirinsho Shotemur; Nusratullo Ayubzoda, First Deputy Mayor of Hisor; faculty members; university students; and agricultural specialists.

In his speech, İbrahim Erbir, TİKA’s Coordinator in Dushanbe, stated that it was the first agricultural project in Tajikistan to cover the modern irrigation infrastructure, the greenhouse support system, the agro-meteorological station, and the tree species planted. Erbir added that 2000 apple, 350 cherry, and 360 plum trees and 12,500 apple trees of various species were planted in the research-application orchard created on a land of 25,000 sq. meters, which hosts an orchard of 20,000 sq. meters and a nursery of 5,000 sq. meters.

A Big Step for Tajikistan

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Muzaffar Mirzozoda, First Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Tajikistan, noted that the project is a big strategic step for Tajikistan since a nursery with a capacity to grow nearly 100,000 fruit trees a year was built while the existing fruit trees in the country were starting to become old. Then, he thanked TİKA for the project.

Usmon Mahmadyorzoda, Rector of Tajik Agrarian University Named Shirinsho Shotemur, stated that the project was implemented exactly as a training project since the faculty members and students of the university actively participated in it from the very beginning. Mahmadyorzoda added that the nursery would contribute greatly to the academic and scientific studies and development of the university in the field of agriculture.

More than 11,000 students study at Tajik Agrarian University Named Shirinsho Shotemur, the only university and one of the longest-established educational institutions in Tajikistan.