Expertise in Action: Our Selected Projects

agriculture and marketing

>> PROJECT :

Inter-regional Trade Facilitation in Batken Oblast​

The primary objective of the project is to bolster rural development in Batken oblast by enhancing agricultural productivity, facilitating access to internal and external markets, and fostering an improved business environment. Situated in the Fergana Valley, Batken oblast stands as one of Kyrgyzstan’s least developed regions, having been established as a separate administrative unit in 1999.

The key components of the project encompassed:

  • Support for Business Incubators, serving as business advisory centers for rural SMEs and farms.
  • Enhancement of standardization and certification procedures for agricultural production. This entailed the selection of several agricultural products, thorough analysis of standardization and certification processes, systematization of standards, and an informational campaign aimed at rural entrepreneurs to enhance transparency and comprehension of certification requirements. Additionally, assistance was provided to a selected laboratory to ensure the quality of tests necessary for agricultural product certification.
  • Improvement of the agro-business environment, including support for selected business incubators to evolve into fully operational advisory units through on-the-job training, capacity building, and institutional guidance. Selected agro-enterprises and farmers‘ groups received assistance in business planning, access to credit, and overall business development, with a particular focus on empowering women entrepreneurs.
  • Establishment and support of cooperative farming initiatives to optimize input utilization, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and enhance marketing strategies.
  • Dissemination and promotion of provincial policy and investment capacity through the ‚Batken Guide‘.
  • Design and establishment of the first one-stop-shop, alongside advisory support to the national government and presidential administration to promote this approach across the entire Kyrgyz Republic.

Specific activities implemented under the project included:

  • Enhancing the business environment in the agricultural sector.
  • Researching and systematizing standards related to selected agricultural products.
  • Establishing farmer unions to facilitate joint input usage, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and coordinate cooperative marketing efforts.
  • Increasing transparency in state interference through an information campaign and support for anti-rent-seeking activities.
  • Capacity building, advisory services, and training provided to agro-business incubators.
  • Facilitating business planning and improving access to credit for farmers, producers, and agro-enterprises.
  • Offering policy advice to MITT and the oblast administration, coupled with institutional strengthening initiatives.
  • Assisting the EU Delegation in organizing equipment supply tenders and overseeing supply contracts.

Project Impressions - Moments in Focus