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international development aid

IMPLEMENTED PROJECTS > Inter-regional Trade Facilitation in Batken Oblast


Project Description

Country – Kyrgyzstan
Donor - EuropeAid
Duration – 24  months
Status – completed


The main objective of the project is to assist rural environments in Batken oblast through development of agricultural productivity, enhanced access to internal and external markets, and improvement of the general business environment. The Batken oblast is one of the least developed areas in Kyrgyzstan which is situated in the Fergana Valley and was established as a separate administrative unit in 1999.

The main components of the project were:
  • Support to Business Incubators acting as business advisory centres for rural SMEs and farms
  • Improvement of the situation with standardisation and certification of agricultural production. The project selected several agricultural products; the entire situation with standardisation and certification procedure has been analysed including compulsory and export products. The standards have been systematised, an informational campaign for rural entrepreneurs has been done to improve transparency and understanding of certification requirements. A selected laboratory has been assisted to ensure quality of tests necessary for agricultural products’ certification
  • Improvement of agro-business environment. The project assisted the selected business incubators to become fully operational advisory units including on the job training, capacity building and institutional advice. Selected agro-enterprises and farmers’ groups received assistance in business planning, access to credit, and business development. Special attention has been paid to woman entrepreneurs
  • Advice to the MITT (Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism) and Oblast Administration of Batken. These main actors received advice and assistance on the broad range of issues related to the project implementation, including development of regional agricultural sector strategy plan, improvement of agro-business environment, further development of “talon” system to regulate the interference of state control bodies in the small business, development of SME and farm support structures, agricultural extension services etc.
  • Establishment and support of co-operative farming to improve use of inputs and promote sustainable agricultural practices and to improve marketing
  • Dissemination and promotion of provincial policy and investment capacity (Batken Guide)
  • Design and establishment of first one-stop-shop, advice to the national government and presidential administration to promote the approach for the whole Kyrgyz Republic

 

Specific activities implemented under the project included:

  • Improvement of business environment in the agricultural sector
  • Research and systematisation of standards related to selected agricultural products
  • Establishment of farmer unions for joint input use, sustainable agricultural practices and co-operative marketing
  • Increase of transparency of state interference through information campaign, support in anti-rent seeking activities
  • Institutional capacity building, advice and training to agro-business incubators
  • Business planning and improvement of access to credit for farmers, producers and agro-enterprises
  • Policy advice to MITT and oblast administration, institutional strengthening
  • Assistance to EU Delegation in organisation of equipment supply tender and overview of the supply contract

Project Photos