DUSHANBE, June 23, 2015, Asia-Plus — The World Bank Board of Executive Directors on June 22 approved an allocation of additional financing of US$12 million from the International Development Association for the Second Public Employment for Sustainable Agriculture and Water Resources Management Project (PAMP-2), which focuses on improving agricultural production and creating temporary employment in rural districts of Tajikistan.
According to the World Bank Dushanbe Office, the Second Public Employment for Sustainable Agriculture and Water Resources Management Project was launched in June 2013 to benefit 770,000 people residing in twelve districts of Tajikistan through temporary public employment and rehabilitation of important irrigation and drainage infrastructure.
The project also supports the development of improved policies and institutions for water resource management, including by providing support to the Water User Associations and building capacity of the irrigation sector institutions in Kofarnihon river basin. Up to date, the project created temporary employment opportunities for over 11,000 people, as a result of which is 3,350 kilometers of irrigation canals were manually cleaned.
The project is financed by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program and International Development Association grants at total amount of US $45.9 million.
“Increasing opportunities for people to earn income through our existing project is an immediate measure to protect the poorest households from the impacts of the economic slowdown and decreasing remittances,” said Patricia Veevers-Carter, World Bank Country Manager for Tajikistan. “In the meantime, we continue working with the Government of Tajikistan on medium and long term priority measures to improve the performance of the economy through structural reforms and to create sustainable jobs by promoting better conditions for private sector growth.”
The Additional Financing of US$12 million will expand the public works component of the PAMP-2 project in order to create additional temporary employment opportunities for 10,000 more vulnerable rural population in the view of the economic slowdown, decreasing remittances and anticipated risks to households’ food security. These activities will allow rehabilitating 2,800 km of irrigation infrastructure to improve irrigation of 70,000 hectares of land in six new districts, including Shahritous, Qabodiyon, Vakhsh, Qumsangir and Danghara in Khatlon province and Vahdat in the districts subordinate to the center. Increased employment opportunities in agriculture could be especially beneficial for women who make up more than half of the work force in agriculture.
The main implementing agency of the project is the Agency for Land Reclamation and Irrigation. All elements of the public works and infrastructure rehabilitation are implemented in close partnership with local authorities, Water User Associations, village leaders, and civil society organizations involved in the project implementation.
The World Bank’s active portfolio in Tajikistan includes 21 projects with a net commitment of US$ 323.4 million (including regional projects) that aim to support economic growth through private sector development, while investing in better public services for people, such as education, health, municipal services and social protection. Since 1996, the World Bank provided over US$1 billion in grants and highly concessional credits from the International Development Association and trust fund resources to Tajikistan.
