DUSHANBE, July 8, 2016, Asia-Plus — On July 3, Mr. Takashi Okimoto, Head of Public Relations of the Embassy of Japan in Dushanbe, visited Istaravshan City in the northern Sughd province to attend a handover ceremony to commemorate the successful completion of the “The Project for Construction of Greenhouses in Sepula Village, Poshkent Jamoat, Istaravshan City”.
According to Japan’s Embassy in Dushanbe, the project was implemented in the framework of Japan’s “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)”. The total grant amount of USD119,555 was provided by the Government of Japan to the Istaravshan municipal government for construction of six greenhouses in Sepula village. In order to supply the greenhouses with sufficient water, a well was also dug as part of the project. After the successful project completion, now more than 50 men and women are provided with job places and local people now can get fresh vegetables in autumn and wintertime at lower prices.
During the ceremony, Mr. Okimoto stated that Japan’s GGP projects have been able to make a true difference by promoting education, improving medical care and condition for agriculture, and also by creating jobs through various construction projects in both remote and urban areas of the country. He added that these projects also play a vital role in further expanding the bilateral partnership that the Republic of Tajikistan and Japan have established.
Along with the local residents and farmers of Poshkent jamoat, the handover ceremony was also attended by Mr. Sodiq Mirsaidov Sodiq, Deputy Mayor of Istaravshan City, who extended his words of gratitude to the Government and people of Japan for their support.
Grant Assistance for Grass-roots Human Security Projects (GGP) is provided to local governments, educational/ medical institutions and International NGOs in developing countries. GGP supports projects in the human security sectors at the grassroots level that aim to improve livelihood of the local population. As of today, GGP has supported 352 projects in Tajikistan, for which more than US$ 28.5 million has been provided since 1996.
