Supported through joint collaboration between Caritas Switzerland and the Government of Switzerland, Tajik Agrarian University, named after Shirinsho Shotemur, officially unveiled an educational cluster for hydrology and agrometeorology at its Dushanbe campus.
Government of Switzerland and Caritas Switzerland funds have been mobilized to renovate an existing building on campus that now houses a laboratory, 120 student workspaces and faculty offices for developing and enhancing national capacities in specialized areas related to efficient utilization of water resources and accessible weather, water and climate services, says press release issued by Caritas.
Contextually relevant research will be supported through collaboration with Swiss and international institutions of research, and through student access to field sites for training and applied research financed through Swiss funded initiatives within Tajikistan.
This investment capitalizes on memorandums of understanding signed in 2019 between the Governments of Switzerland and Tajikistan on integrated water resources management and a second on climate change and disaster risk reduction.
Caritas Switzerland is a Swiss NGO, founded in 1901 with headquarters in Lucerne, Switzerland. Caritas Switzerland assists people in need within more than 50 countries abroad as well as in Switzerland.
Caritas Switzerland has been active in Tajikistan since 1996. Within its country program strategy for 2021-2025, contextually relevant approaches for inclusive, effective and sustainable weather-water-climate services are developed and institutionalized for tangible improvements in human and environmental well-being within rural communities. www.caritas.ch/en
The Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan represents the Government of Switzerland and supervises Swiss funded projects implemented in Tajikistan. There are actually two Swiss Federal Agencies working in the country, namely the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO). Switzerland funds projects in the following domains: water, infrastructure and climate change; governance and institution buildings; and employment and economic development. Additionally, the Swiss Cooperation in Tajikistan promotes arts and culture and supports small project from local organizations. The Government of Switzerland gives substantial contributions to the World Bank (WB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the United Nations system. Those organizations also support Tajikistan.
