ZEF Strategic Research Agenda for Central Asia

摘要: The Center for Development Research (ZEF) of the University of Bonn has a long-standing track record in conducting collaborative research and higher education projects in Central Asia. The distinctive strength of ZEF is in its extensive knowledge and experience in design and implementation of interdisciplinary research projects addressing economic, environmental, and social issues. Since 2001, for instance, ZEF has successfully implemented a large interdisciplinary project on “Economic and Ecological Restructuring of Land and Water Use in the Khorezm Region (Uzbekistan)”(http://www. khorezm. zef. de). There have also been many other ZEF projects in the areas of integrated water resource management, governance, migration etc. in Central Asia and its adjacent countries Afghanistan, Iran, and Western China. The long history of ZEF in the region has helped it to initiate and maintain an extensive network of local, European, and international researchers with outstanding experience and interest in issues related to Central Asia.In January 2011, ZEF conducted a workshop to discuss and develop a future strategic research agenda for Central Asia. The workshop was attended by more than 30 experts, a large number of them from the region. This strategy paper provides a synthesis of the outcomes of that meeting and highlights the key research areas of ZEF in future collaborative development research projects in the region. Priority is given to research areas that address the fundamental drivers of regional cooperation and integration, water and energy, agricultural productivity, land degradation and ecosystem services, knowledge and …