Share your agricultural knowledge and experience with the people of Tajikistan!

Tajikistan is a mountainous country in Central Asia nestled between Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and China. Roughly the size of England, Tajikistan has a population of about 8.9 million people. Most of Tajikistan's population share kinship and language, culture, and history with Afghanistan and Iran. The Tajik language serves as the official language of Tajikistan, although Russian is another important language which is widely used for formal and informal communication in the country.

The climate in Tajikistan is arid with cold winters and hot, sunny summers. However, both temperature and rainfall vary depending on the altitude and slope exposure to sun. The capital city of Dushanbe is located at 2,600 feet above sea level and temperatures range from average high temperatures of 37℉ in January to 93℉ in August and receives about 23 inches of rain annually.

There are more than 2 million acres of arable land in Tajikistan with 60% of the population employed in agriculture. One of the goals of the Farmer to Farmer Project in Tajikistan is to help farmers increase the production of profitable and nutritious crops. Therefore, ACDI/VOCA has identified the fruit orchard sector as a promising area for development. Common fruit crops in Tajikistan include apricots, apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, persimmons and pomegranates.

Local farmers commonly face issues involving planting techniques, proper pruning and grafting as well as pest management. ACDI/VOCA has identified several private farmers who are interested in modernizing their farming methods in order to increase their yields and market their products to a larger area. These host beneficiaries are excited to work with a knowledgable farmer like you in Orchard Management, and they understand the value a collaboration under the Farmer to Farmer Program would bring them.

Check out volunteer images in our gallery, and for more information on how to become a Farmer to Farmer Volunteer, please contact the OFGA coordinator.