The Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in Central Asia and the South Caucasus (CACAARI) was established in 2000 by the heads of eight National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) with the support of the CGIAR Program for Central Asia and the South Caucasus (CGIAR-CAC).
The goal of the Association is to promote regional cooperation for the development of agricultural research by providing a neutral platform for sharing experiences and information. Moreover, the Association acts as a bilateral communication mechanism, supporting the exchange of information among global, regional, and national partners. Membership in CACAARI is open to all stakeholders, including research institutions, NGOs, universities, farmers’ organizations, the private sector in the region (Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), as well as international organizations operating in the region.
The governing bodies of the Association are the Steering Committee, which meets annually, and the Executive Committee. Both the Steering and Executive Committees are headed by a Chairperson elected for a two-year term (currently – Academician Guram Aleksidze from Georgia) and an Executive Secretary (currently – PhD in Economics, Associate Professor Alisher Toshmatov from Uzbekistan).
The Association represents the Central Asia and South Caucasus region at various regional and global meetings and conferences organized by institutions such as CGIAR, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR). In addition to participating in such meetings, CACAARI organizes conferences, workshops, and regional consultations. The Association also co-founded the Regional Agricultural Information System for Central Asia and the South Caucasus (CAC-RAIS). International centers and institutions such as ICARDA, IFPRI, CIMMYT, and the World Vegetable Center are also associate members of CACAARI.
To ensure that CACAARI remains a stable and effective organization and serves as a legitimate representative of the region at global forums, membership must be expanded to include organizations representing diverse areas of agricultural research. Therefore, CACAARI welcomes research institutes, universities, farmers’ organizations, the private sector, NGOs, and other stakeholders, including women’s movements and young professionals.
Membership in CACAARI offers a number of opportunities for organizations interested in collaboration in the agricultural field. First and foremost, it is a mechanism for influencing the regional activities of the Association and incorporating the priorities of one’s country and organization into the Association’s agenda. Additionally, it provides opportunities to represent one’s country and region at various international meetings and access regularly updated information on jobs, conferences, training sessions, and events organized by CACAARI. Membership also enables the exchange of new technologies and the development of joint projects to address the needs of member organizations. Furthermore, the priorities and programs of the Association are defined by its members, offering virtually unlimited possibilities for action.
Regarding membership fees, according to CACAARI’s Charter and the decision of the Steering Committee dated October 15, 2009, the annual fees since 2010 are as follows:
For more detailed information about the history, activities, and goals of the organization, please visit the website www.cacaari.org or contact CACAARI Executive Secretary Mr. Alisher Toshmatov by email at a.tashmatov@cacaari.org or by phone: +998-71 237-21-30, +998-90 326-06-05.
