Ashgabat, 5-6 December 2019: The United Nations development Programme (UNDP) and Global Environment Facility (GEF) in partnership with  the USAID Governance Support Program conducted a workshop on implementation of gender approaches in the collection, processing and analysis of data in the agricultural and water sectors for the purpose of effective adaptation planning at the local level.

The seminar was held with participation of about 30 representatives of the relevant ministries and agencies of Turkmenistan, local farmers and cattle breeders. The goal of the seminar was to build capacity of the participants for collecting and processing data related to gender indicators in agriculture and water sectors.

“Turkmenistan has designed and introduced a legal base to promote women empowerment, promote maternity and childhood rights, women employment, education, etc. The country has adopted and now implements SDGs into the national economy, including 187 indicators of which 25 are gender oriented. Open discussions of this topic is a demonstration of Turkmenistan’s commitment to create equal conditions for men and women to fulfil their potential,” noted international gender expert Gulnara Ibraeva.

Participants of the seminar discussed the notion of gender equality in agriculture and water sectors, gender analysis principles, tools and methods of collection and analysis of gender-disaggregated data. Representatives of the relevant agencies and farmers associations were also introduced to the best practices of introducing local adaptation plans and budgeting.

As a result of the seminar, participants identified criteria for selection of the working group members that will be created to conduct gender differentiated vulnerability assessments in the pilot daykhan associations and livestock farms that would assess vulnerabilities and impacts on women. The working group will also develop vulnerability/resilience indicators and protocols for gender-disaggregated data collection, storage, processing and use in planning and decision-making.

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Supporting climate resilient livelihoods in agricultural communities in drought-prone areas of Turkmenistan directly strengthens the adaptive capacity and reduces the vulnerability of around 40,000 to 50,000 persons (of which around 51.2% would be women) in the Lebap and Dashoguz velayets by helping them improve the productivity of farm operations, be better prepared for increasing water scarcity and by introducing alternative income sources.