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Farmers’ Support Centers Open in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan has opened city support centers for farmers to get up-to-date information from agricultural specialists, from how to plant seeds to how to get subsidies. Experts say that Kyrgyz farmers are often unable to use modern technology, which increases production costs. Five centers have been opened across the country. The project's primary goal is to create an information platform for farmers. The most common questions are what products are best to produce in specific areas, what seeds are needed, and how best to market finished products. Farmers are also interested in leasing agricultural equipment and obtaining loans from state banks. Mirkasym Alakhveranov, a long-time farmer and owner of a beet farm in Chui region, told The Times of Central Asia about the problems of Kyrgyz farmers. “We need farmer schools or advisory centers. Not everyone is ready to grow food according to all the rules. Besides, something new is emerging daily: science is moving forward, mechanization is improving, and chemistry is improving. And the country needs specialists who would follow all this and could explain it to the peasant,” Alakhveranov said. He said many non-professionals in Kyrgyz agriculture today need more knowledge. However, they desire to improve farming. In addition, farmers need more technical knowledge: most need to understand modern equipment. “There is a lack of modern agricultural machinery; farmers suffer losses. They cannot pay the loan for leasing, so they go bankrupt. Most companies selling special equipment do not train buyers to work with the equipment. We need to teach young people how to use modern machines, so they learn to use them confidently,” Alakhveranov said. Another problem plaguing Kyrgyzstan's agricultural sector is small-scale farming. Importers from Russia and Kazakhstan, where most agricultural products go, need large volumes of goods. The new support centers could raise awareness of Alakhveranov's beliefs on this issue and persuade farmers to join cooperatives.

Spanish Soccer Coach to Work in Tajikistan

The Tajik Football Federation (TFF) has signed a contract with Spanish coach Claudio Garcia Lara, who has experience working in soccer academies in Spain, England, China, and India. The agreement was made as part of a joint project between the Football Federation of Tajikistan and FIFA's "FIFA Talent Development Scheme" within the "FIFA Talent Coaching" program. UEFA Pro license holder Garcia Lara will work in Tajikistan for two years. He is now coaching the U-14 team, preparing it for tournaments under the auspices of the Asian Football Confederation and the Central Asian Football Association. According to Uvaido Davlatbekov, technical director of the Tajik Football Federation, 27 players from different regions were invited to the U-14 team. The young players train, study, and live at the Istiklol Football Academy in the Almosi settlement of Gissar. The “FIFA Talent Coach” program is designed to occur over two years. The Spanish specialist works with Tajik coaches, and the program's goals are to identify and develop talents and attract the best specialists to work with gifted players. "The project also includes activities to find talented players nationwide and coaching seminars,” Davlatbekov explained. The Tajikistan Football Federation is actively implementing FIFA's Talent Development Scheme, a program to identify and develop young talent. In 2023, following FIFA's recommendations, a technical development program was created, extending until 2026. This program includes identifying players aged 12 to 16 and conducting seminars for youth and women's soccer coaches. The selected players form the core of the Tajikistan U-16 national youth team, which has won CAFA tournaments for two consecutive years.

Kazakhstan Working On a Bill to Ban Quadrobers

Mazhilis deputy Daulet Mukayev has said Kazakhstan is working on a bill to ban quadrobers. The spread of this hobby, where young people imitate animals, could have a detrimental effect on the younger generation, he stated. “In 2024, quadrobics has undergone a major change. While it used to be more like a sporting challenge, now quadrobers wear animal masks, tails, and paws. If we don't take action, we risk losing a whole generation,” Mukayev said in response to journalists' inquiries to the Telegram channel, Buzyq. Mukayev emphasized that the problem is also a concern in other countries, and parents, society, and the state should work together to solve it. The deputy added that the development of legislative measures and strengthening control over social networks has already begun. However, the deputy did not give precise information about the agencies that initiated this bill. A request for a comment was sent to the Mazhilis press service, which replied that they had not yet received such a piece of legislation. Earlier, Mukayev had characterized quadrobers as a potentially dangerous social phenomenon and called for a study into the phenomenon, stating that the Mazhilis would develop laws against quadrobing if necessary. However, Kazakhstan's Ministry of Culture considers quadrobics a temporary fad and stated that its main task remains to ensure the safety of teenagers who participate in this trend. Quadrobics is an unofficial sport in which participants move on all fours and imitate the habits of animals in costumes. The movement has already been seen in Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Ukraine. Recent cases of this behavior have also been reported in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where a teenager wearing an animal mask scared passersby on October 10. The next day, another quadrober imitating a dog attacked passengers on public transport, scaring children. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the Kyrgyz authorities are trying to curb the growing interest of teenagers in quadrobics. Uzbekistan is also taking steps to control the issue, where parents are being warned of fines for inappropriate behavior by teenagers. In Russia, the issue of administrative responsibility for parents who do not take responsibility for the upbringing of their children who become overtly interested in quadrobics has also been raised. The problem has not yet been resolved, but a request to the State Duma has requested fines and criminal liability for such actions. In addition, Gennady Shkil, a priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, suggested in a sermon that fathers and mothers of quadrobers should be deprived of parental rights. Shkil stated that “tough measures” are needed “for the salvation of mankind.”

Kazakhstan Develops Program to Revive Famous Aport Apple Variety

Kazakhstan's Ministry of Agriculture in cooperation with the National Agrarian Scientific and Educational Center have launched a program to revive the legendary Kazakh apple variety - aport. Aport is a capricious variety that requires special cultivation conditions. Quality apples can only be produced in orchards growing 850-1,250 meters above sea level. There are few such areas in the foothills of Almaty and the nearby region. Unlike other apple varieties, which begin to bear fruit in 4-6 years, aport needs 8-9 years to give a first harvest. Nevertheless, aport apples, distinguished by their large size, distinct smell, and succulent nature, are in great demand. The aport revival program, designed for 2024-2028, involves private investors and specialized nurseries. The program will grow the required number of saplings to begin the full-scale commercial cultivation of apple orchards. In the first stage, in 2024, the seeds of the Sievers apple tree were collected, and the development of national standards for growing Kazakhstan's aport began. In 2025, seedlings will be planted on ten hectares to become a mother garden supplying saplings for nurseries. During the next two years, it is planned to grow a sufficient number of saplings to plant an orchard on 100 hectares. Later, aport saplings will be offered to private gardeners for commercial cultivation. In 1970, there were 3.8 million aport trees in Kazakhstan, but by 1984, only 1.4 million remained. In 2012, scientific research began on the revival and rejuvenation of the variety, including establishing an experimental garden of aport grafted onto Sievers apple trees. In 2023, Kazakh scholars harvested the first large fruits weighing 400-500 g. Kazakhstan is the birthplace of apples — particularly the famous aport apples, which grow in the Almaty region. Translated from Kazakh, Almaty roughly means “place of abundance of apples.” One of Almaty's main landmarks, the first sight to greet visitors to Mount Kok-Tobe, which looms over the city, is a granite statue of an apple with water gushing from its core.

Uzbekistan Ratifies Agreement to Establish CIS Russian Language Organization

Uzbekistan has ratified an agreement to establish an international organization in Russia under the auspices of the CIS. The agreement was signed at the CIS Heads of State summit in Bishkek on October 13, 2023. The organization's goals and objectives include supporting high-quality Russian education, facilitating the training of teaching and research staff in “Russian Language and Literature” and “Russian as a Foreign Language,” and creating a personnel reserve of specialists in this field. In addition, the organization will strengthen comprehensive, mutually beneficial cooperation between the CIS countries in supporting and promoting the Russian language as a language of interstate communication. Its activities will rely on friendship, good neighborliness, interethnic harmony, trust, and mutual understanding. In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Russian is the second official language. In Tajikistan, it is called the “language of interethnic communication.” However, it does not have an official status in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. More than 90% of Kazakhstanis know Russian to some degree, while 20% of the population considers it their native language. Meanwhile, those figures for Turkmenistan are 40% and 12% respectively. In Kyrgyzstan, about 44% know Russian and 5% consider it their native language; in Uzbekistan, it is about 50% and 2.7%; and in Tajikistan, 55% and 0.3%.

GTA and Counter-Strike Banned in Tajikistan

Residents of Tajikistan have been ordered to refrain from playing popular computer games such as Grand Theft Auto and Counter-Strike, and owners of computer game clubs have been banned from distributing them. According to information published by the Dushanbe police press service on Telegram, these games can influence young people and make them more prone to criminal behavior. “According to the results of the historical and cultural expertise of the Tajik Ministry of Culture, the games Counter-Strike and Grand Theft Auto contain scenes of violence, murder, and robbery,” police said. Game club owners and parents of children were told to comply with national laws prohibiting violent and unethical video games, and said raids would be conducted at game clubs to detect violations. A similar initiative has been discussed in Russia. In 2022, the State Duma proposed banning video games containing violent scenes, pornography, and profanity. Counter-Strike is a multiplayer shooter in which teams of special forces and terrorists perform missions to rescue hostages, clear bombs, or protect VIPs. Grand Theft Auto (GTA) is an adventure game in which the player performs missions in fictional American cities, participating in criminal activities, driving vehicles, and committing robberies to advance the story.