The Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan (AKF Tajikistan) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) on February 8 announced the winners selected to receive grant from the Regional Climate Smart Business Challenge Facility (CSBCF). The award announcement event marked the commencement of projects’ implementation aimed at fostering climate-smart business solutions in Tajikistan and India.
Press release issued by the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) Office in Tajikistan says the CSBCF program seeks to address the pressing challenges of climate change and promote sustainable business practices in target countries by focusing on the agriculture and water nexus.
Supporting innovative and environmentally friendly business ideas, the program aims to create opportunities for economic growth while simultaneously mitigating the impact of climate change.
Following an extensive evaluation process, the two selected grant winners from Tajikistan intend to promote solar agriculture technologies through initiatives focused on irrigation and fruit storage, dairy, meat value chains, and utilizing low-waste hydroponics technology for fodder production.
Selected Indian companies will pilot solar-powered storage facilities for fish and vegetables, promote climate-resilient beekeeping, and utilize low-cost equipment to convert agricultural waste into fertilizer.
The CSBCF program will provide not only financial support but also technical assistance and mentorship to the selected SGBs, enabling them to develop and implement climate-smart business models that benefit both the environment and the economy.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of the Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan Kishwar Abdulalishoev, noted, “The regional pilot project will serve as an important milestone creating a financially sustainable regional climate facility that promotes greater awareness raising, knowledge sharing and innovations on climate resilience both in Tajikistan and in wider Central and South Asia”.
The Climate Smart Business Challenge Facility (CSBCF) is a pilot project implemented by Aga Khan Foundation Tajikistan in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). This project is supported by the IKI Small Grants program, which is part of the International Climate Initiative (IKI) and financed by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the Federal Foreign Office (AA).
