The Government of Tajikistan and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have discussed the issue of attracting financial resources for implementation of the school feeding support project in Tajikistan, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF).
A meeting took place at the Ministry of Finance through video conferencing on March 17.
The meeting participants reportedly included representatives of relevant ministries and agencies of Tajikistan and experts of the IFAD.
Following the talks, a text of an agreement on financing the school feeding support project was agreed and the negotiation protocol was drawn up.
The parties also expressed readiness to continue the mutually beneficial cooperation aimed at enhancing the agrarian sector and developing rural regions of Tajikistan.
A total cost of the project is 1.32 million U.S. dollars and this amount will be provided by the Russian Federation in a form of grant.
The objective of the project is in improving nutrition of schoolchildren in rural areas of Tajikistan. The project is designed for three years. During this period, support is expected to be provided to schools in vulnerable and food insecure communities in the Kulob region of the Khatlon province.
IFAD has been investing in the rural poor in Tajikistan since 2008, by strengthening local institutions and grassroots organizations, and expanding their access to land, productive technologies and resources.
Key activities include: natural resource management; implementing land reforms; and strengthening local institutions and grass-roots organizations.
Overall, the impact of the IFAD country portfolio has benefited rural communities through increased investment in productive infrastructure and equipment, better management of the resource base, increased viability of agricultural production, and improved animal health and productivity.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the United Nations that works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. It is the only multilateral development organization that focuses solely on rural economies and food security.
Headquartered in Rome, Italy, IFAD is involved in over 200 projects across nearly 100 countries. It funds and sponsors initiatives that improve land and water management, develop rural infrastructure, train and educate farmers in more efficient technologies, build up resilience against climate change, enhancing market accessibility, and more.
IFAD has 177 member states and works in partnership with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Since its foundation in 1977, IFAD has provided US$22.4 billion in loans and grants and coordinated an addition US$31 billion in international and domestic co-financing.
