operproblems and to developing a livestock industry in the region, and it will mitigate the climate change problems.

Soil and water management. Research in soil salinity management will be essential for the region. Research priorities in this area include development of measures to prevent soil salinity; land reclamation by using low-cost technologies to improve the properties of saline soils; assessment of soil salinity through GIS technologies; biological reclamation of saline soils; biodrainage systems (tree plantation) in saline and waterlogged soils; selection of salt-tolerant crop species and varieties; and development of halophyte agriculture.

In the field of irrigation and drainage management: deficit irrigation, conjunctive or drainage water use, irrigation scheduling, irrigation, drainage-water quality management, identification of optimum furrow length, water discharge, development and adoption of advanced water-saving technologies, selection of promising irrigation technologies. In rainfed areas: supplementary irrigation, water and soil conservation technologies, diversification of cropping patterns, crop residuemanagement, land leveling, integrated plant nutrition management, irrigation, wind and water erosion control, GIS technologies and erosion control, traditional and introduced soil conservation technologies in mountain areas, slope land management, and watershed management. Integrated pest management.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. IPM takes advantage of all appropriate pest management options including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides. Use of biological alternatives instead of harmful chemicals, research on soil biota, especially on nematodes, for soil-borne diseases and on parasitic weeds could alleviate many problems farmers of the region face.

Organic farming. Industrial countries have developed markets for organic products and there are today numerous opportunities for organic agriculture. Organic crops include cotton, cereals and potatoes. Beef, dairy, and sheep and goats are the focus for livestock. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has already implemented a project for organic cotton in Central Asia. Research and implementation activities aimed at adopting organic agriculture can potentially meet the challenges CWANA farmers face.

Conservation agriculture and reduced tillage research. Promotion of research in the field of conservation agriculture could save water, labor, fertilizers and pesticides and fuel; it could solve many problems connected with the degradation of natural resources in the region. The management of cover crops and crop residues will be closely related to carbon emission issues, and will increase nutrient and soil organic matter content. Livestock. For many poor households in CWANA countries,

livestock is an important asset. In this region where many challenges impose themselves in the field of natural resource degradation, integrating crops and livestock pro-

duction is a promising agricultural system for low-income small-scale farmers. AKST therefore needs to find ways to ensure that crop and livestock resources will be developed sustainably with enhanced output per unit while increasing area productivity. Lack of feed resources, poor genetic makeup and lack of effective cover for animal health are the main constraints hampering livestock development in the region. Conservation of local livestock breeds would be required to sustain development, and nontraditional feed resources need to be developed to contain rangeland losses. Development and access to quality animal health services and genetic material for upgrading of livestock should be possible. Embarking on such initiatives in the region could be made possible through AKST.

Crop management. The region needs to enhance germplasm and take advantage of its genetic resources. Advanced plant breeding may help achieve productivity gains, introduce resistance to pests and diseases, reduce pesticide use, improve crop tolerance for abiotic and biotic stress, improve the nutritional value of some foods, and enhance the durability of products during harvesting and shipping. Raising productivity could increase smallholder incomes, reduce poverty, increase food access, reduce malnutrition, and improve the livelihoods of the poor.

Drought tolerance. CWANA countries are classified as drylands, susceptible to desertification and mostly drought prone (UNEP, 1997). These countries vitally need drought management and mitigation. Thus CWANA governments have to make difficult tradeoffs between short-term benefits and long-term solutions. Droughts always require immediate attention because they threaten human lives, but longterm
solutions are also necessary. From this perspective, it is essential to note that drought-tolerant crops, varieties and hybrids are essential for countries of the region.

High-value crops. The main objective of the research system in the region during the process of commercialization and diversification remains to generate new technologies that improve productivity and farmer income. In addition to the productivity objective, research should focus on providing farmers with the flexibility to decide on crop choices and to move relatively freely to growing the crops they choose.
Gearing farmers to meet more exacting safety and quality standards ought to be an essential part of the strategy.

Postharvest methods. Many times, large shares of food produced are lost after harvest. Reducing postharvest losses has been an important focus of AKST and development programs in the past. But on several occasions technical innovations have faced sociocultural or socioeconomic problems like low profit margins, additional workload, or incompatibility with the existing production or postproduction system. The divergence between technical recommendations and the realities of rural life translated in many cases into a low adoption rate. Now the rationale for improvement
in postharvest systems has been shifting from preventing loss to opening new market opportunities. Making markets work for the poor is emerging as the new rationale for development, reflecting a shift away from governmental