DUSHANBE, 13.04.2023 (NIAT Khovar) – The EU Integrated Rural Development Project / TRIGGER supported the NGO Association «Woman and Society» in drilling a well and purchasing agricultural equipment in Asht district.

For many years, residents of the village of Koni Namak, Asht district, have been facing a lack of drinking and irrigation water. The water here is at a depth of 180-200 meters, and usually salty. Four Production Groups (PGs) with 70 farmers buy water for irrigation and drinking from a well located in the village of Verkhniy Bakhmal, 7 km to the north. The PG members own 25ha of orchards, but during the last four years of drought, almost 20ha of apricot plantations have been destroyed and only 5ha are left that can currently produce a crop.

“Drilling a well is really a tangible help for the restoration of our gardens. From now on, farmers and their families also have access to drinking water. I express my gratitude on behalf of all members of the Production Groups to the IRDP / TRIGGER project and NGO AZHO «- Abduvaliev Mekhron.

Integrated Rural Development Project/TRIGGER supported drilling a well. Thus, farmers received open access to drinking and irrigation water. The handover ceremony of the well was attended by representatives of the Regional and District Khukumat, Agro-industrial Complex and the Department of Ecology of the Asht District, NGO AZHO, leaders and representatives of the PGs and representatives of the GIZ office in Khujand.

With their own well, farmers will be able to withstand the effects of climate change and restore 25ha of apricot orchards while revitalizing the local ecosystem in an already dry and saline region. In addition, the capacity of the pump will allow irrigating 20ha of neighbouring plots and earning additional profit. By restoring orchards and harvesting good crops, PGs members will be able to increase their export sales and improve their economic and social conditions.

In addition, the Project supported the purchase of a tractor in Mehrobod village, Asht district for three PGs (238 farmers). The multifunctional tractor will be used not only for mechanized soil cultivation, but also for spraying trees as a tow truck and transporting harvested apricots from the orchard to the processing area. As a result, three working places were created for tractor driver and sprayer operators.

Due to the storage of large amounts of firewood in gardens, farmers are facing spoilage of the remaining wood and creating an environment for pests (mainly insects). The branch shredder purchased for five PGs (90 farmers) of Shaydon village, Asht district will not only help to avoid the above problems, but will also help in crushing branches, leaves and weeds, from which compost can be made to fertilize trees.

The donated facilities will help farmers increase their crops in the next few years and increase their income by increasing the sales of their products.

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.