DUSHANBE, January 14, 2015, Asia-Plus — In speech at the session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower house of parliament), the First Deputy Minister of Finance, Jamoliddin Nouraliyev noted on January 14 that the International Development Association (IDA), which is the part of the World Bank Group, will provide a $22 million grant agreement to finance the Tajikistan Agriculture Commercialization Project.
According to him, Tajikistan will contribute 3.9 million U.S. dollars to the project, which is expected to be finished in 2020.
“The project covers 16,000 farming units and 200 small farm produce processing enterprises,” said the deputy finance minister. “The project also provides for advanced training for Tajik farmers.”
We will recall that Tajik Minister of Finance Abdusalom Qurbonov and the World Bank Country Manager for Tajikistan Marsha Olive signed a grant agreement to finance the Tajikistan Agriculture Commercialization Project here on July 30, 2014.
The project is jointly supported by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and is funded by a grant from the International Development Association (IDA).
The project reportedly builds on past reforms that strengthened property rights in land, restructured farm ownership, and gave farmers the freedom to choose which crops to produce. It will further expand opportunities for farmers and enterprises to increase productivity and access to domestic and export markets.
Agriculture accounts for 23 percent of GDP and 48 percent of employment in Tajikistan, so it plays a major role in economic growth and poverty reduction. Through a set of complementary measures, including access to loans, grants and capacity building for small farmers, the project will increase the commercialization of farm and agribusiness products. Also, more medium-scale agribusinesses and producer associations will be able to market their products locally and internationally.
It will also build the government’s capacity for policy and regulatory reforms and support market research and analysis, and modernize the curricula of educational institutions for commercial agribusiness.
