DUSHANBE, 28.04.2023 (NIAT Khovar) – On April 20, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture hosted a high-level event to present the Agro-Food System and Sustainable Agriculture Development Programme for Tajikistan, the European Union and GIZ were joined by a diverse group of stakeholders. These included representatives from USAID, FAO, IFAD, ADB, WB, JICA, AKDN, and over 100 other stakeholders from various ministries and agencies.

The event provided a platform for these key stakeholders to come together and discuss their commitment and support toward achieving the program’s objectives. This collaborative effort highlights the significant support from a range of sources towards achieving sustainable development in Tajikistan’s agro-food system.

The program’s strategic goals, key approaches, and seven strategic priorities were introduced by the Minister of Agriculture Kurbon Hakimzoda.

During the event, the EU and GIZ emphasized the need for a comprehensive strategy to achieve sustainable agricultural development in Tajikistan. They recognized the potential of the agriculture sector in the country and pledged their support towards achieving the objectives of the program.

Raimundas Karoblis, Head of Delegation and Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, acknowledged the country’s green condition through the cotton value chain and its significance to Tajikistan’s agriculture and economy.

«The European Union has a long-standing tradition of cooperation, support and intense policy dialogue with the Ministry of Agriculture and intends to strengthen it further, — stated Raimundas Karoblis,  — The EU leading program in rural development is the Integrated Rural Development Project/TRIGGER, implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ). The program supports the agrarian reform, strengthens the Ministry’s capacities in implementing existing programs, including the development of agricultural value chains, and fosters favourable conditions for the introduction of good practices in agricultural production”.

Wulf-Hendrik Goretzky, Project Director of the EU Integrated Rural Development Project/TRIGGER, reiterated GIZ’s commitment to assisting access to finance and markets for promising goods from Tajikistan, adding that GIZ’s technical and financial resources would be leveraged to achieve the objectives of the program, prioritizing sustainable agricultural development, gender equality, and rural livelihoods.

“As a partner in the agriculture sector, GIZ with funding from the German government and the European Union supports the objectives outlined in this strategy. We are assisting the access to finance and to markets for promising good from Tajik soil, — said Wulf-Hendrik Goretzky, — We are committed to working in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure the successful implementation of this future oriented agricultural strategy. Our technical and financial resources will be leveraged to assist in achieving the strategy’s objectives, prioritizing sustainable agricultural development, gender equality, and enhanced rural livelihoods.”

The EU and GIZ recognized the program’s comprehensive and ambitious objectives and their alignment with Tajikistan’s national priorities of human well-being, poverty reduction, and food security.

In summary, the EU and GIZ played a crucial role in contributing to the organization of the high-level event and pledged their support towards achieving the objectives of the program, emphasizing sustainable agricultural development, gender equality, and rural livelihoods. They recognized the comprehensive and ambitious objectives of the program and their alignment with Tajikistan’s national priorities. Their participation, along with that of over 100 others, highlights the importance of sustainable agriculture and economic development in Tajikistan

The Integrated Rural Development Project (IRDP)/ Towards Rural Inclusive Growth and Economic Resilience (TRIGGER) is a joint project of the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) to boost the added value of agricultural production in Tajikistan by improving water security and sustainability, enhancing the productivity of selected value chains, supporting market development, export readiness, enterprise promotion and economic policy advice. For further details, please contact: Sharofat Ashurova at sharofat.ashurova@giz.de, telephone number +992 987270046.