Overview: Follow the Food 2nd Seminar: The Power of Place – Apricots between Heritage and the Market in Central Asia

On Monday, November 18th, environmental historian Flora Roberts and rural sociologist Irna Hofman explored the topic of apricots in Tajikistan during the second Follow the Food seminar. The seminar, hosted by Future Food Utrecht, attracted an interdisciplinary audience of students, researchers and representatives from civil society organizations with a passion for food systems.

The seminar provided a rich exploration of the interplay between heritage, sustainability, and market dynamics in Tajikistan’s apricot economy. The presentations emphasized the deep cultural significance of apricots in Tajikistan, alongside the environmental, economic, and social challenges that apricot farmers face. Dr. Flora Roberts, an environmental historian,began the seminar by providing a historical and geographical overview of apricot cultivation in Tajikistan, focusing on its deep connection to the land and the region’s agricultural heritage. During her presentation, she traced the historical evolution of apricot cultivation and trade, which goes back multiple centuries. She highlighted the fact that even though the Soviet Union's focus on cotton severely disrupted apricot farming, apricot production increased once again in the early 1990s.

Dr. Irna Hofman, a rural sociologist specializing in agrarian and social change in Central Asia, then provided a sociological perspective on the apricot economy in Tajikistan. Hofman built her presentation on the extensive research that she has carried out in Tajikistan since 2012 focusing on rural economies, agricultural change, and social dynamics. A key issue that Hofman approached critically was the potential use (or not) of Geographical Indications (GIs) to boost the market value of Tajik apricots. GIs recognize products that have a unique geographic origin, but their implementation is complex. Some see GIs as a way to increase farmer incomes and preserve local agricultural practices, while others are concerned about their impact on farmer autonomy and resilience. Hofman ended her talk by asking a poignant open question to the room. “In a context of significant power hierarchies, at societal and household level, who decides what? To what extent is one imposing or offering development trajectories and/or responding to demand or requests?”

Dr. Ozan Alakavuklar then opened the discussion by introducing alternative food networks as alternatives to conventional food systems centering locality, quality, embeddedness and sustainability. A constructive conversation between the seminar participants ensued, underscoring the importance of context-sensitive solutions that address both the challenges and opportunities facing small-scale apricot producers. It was concluded that further research and dialogue are needed to ensure that interventions empower local farmers and preserve traditional agricultural knowledge while promoting the revitalisation of Tajik livelihoods and the resilience of Taijk orchards.