DUSHANBE, September 1, 2009, Asia-Plus — On September 1, 2009, Mr. Shunsuke Kondo, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe, and Mr. Mahmadrahim Ismoilov, Acting Chairman of Jilikul District attended the handover ceremony for three agricultural projects assisted by the Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects of the Government of Japan, according to the Japanese Embassy in Dushanbe.
The Government of Japan provided total of US$ 260,030 for “The Project for the Preparation of the Agricultural Training and Promoting Center in Jilikul District”, “The Project for the Rehabilitation of Pump Stations for Irrigation in Nurivakhsh Jamoat, Jilikul District” and “The Project for the Preparation of Agricultural Machines in Jilikul District”. These projects are aimed to accelerate the agricultural development in Jilikul District.
The Agricultural Training and Promoting Center constructed under Japanese Assistance will disseminate and improve agricultural skills among agricultural workers including farmers with small scale farmland. This center equipped with Japanese laboratory equipment is open to any organization for conducting workshops and meetings that people can attend.
Rehabilitation of pump station for irrigation will raise agricultural productivity in Nurivakhsh Jamoat. It will also encourage people to produce products of higher market value. 2,500 people will benefit from the improved irrigation system.
Due to absolute shortage of agricultural machines and costly fee, poor farmers could not access them. The Japanese tractor project was provided in order to make agricultural machines available to these farmers. As a result, more than 216 farms are expected to have access to tractors which will further boost the effective agricultural production.
As a result of the comprehensive approach to agricultural sector in Jilikul District, efficiency of agricultural production will be improved, which enhance food security as well as improve income, and thus contribute to poverty reduction in the area.
The Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects is provided mainly to local governments, NGOs, and educational and medical institutions in developing countries. This grant aid instrument provides support to projects in Human Security sectors at the grassroots level, and it has extended the total of US$ 13,689,128 grant for 215 projects in the Republic of Tajikistan since 1996.
