UN FAO procured about 2 tons of high-quality vegetable seeds for rural women, representing vulnerable layers of the population of Osh, Batken, Jalal-Abad and Issyk-Kul provinces.
The recently launched joint UNIFEM-FAO Project “Agricultural Assistance to Vulnerable, Food-Insecure Female-Headed Household’s” has started operating in over 30 villages of Batken, Jalal-Abad, Issyk-Kul and Osh provinces. The goal of the Project is support of the most vulnerable households, predominantly headed by women through improved access to high-quality vegetable seeds.
As a result of social mobilization conducted by
UNIFEM (UN Development Fund for Women) activists in April-May this year in 30 villages of the above provinces 256 self-help groups (SHG) which covered 1800 the most vulnerable families.
FAO (UN Food and Agricultural Program) purchased high-quality vegetable seeds for the created self-help groups.
In total 1899 kg of vegetable seeds were procured for the amount of 1,576,000.00 Som of which 450 kg of carrot seeds, 1350 kg of onion seeds, 27 kg of pumpkin seeds and 72 kg of cucumber seeds.
As of today 420 households from Issyk-Kul province, 380 households from Batken province, 500 households from Jalal-Abad province and 500 households from Osh province received the seeds.
Simultaneously FAO specialists offer trainings on cultivation technology of vegetables and soil fertility management in the targeted villages. In particular, on July 2, 2010 such trainings were conducted for the rural women representing vulnerable layers of the population of Otuz-Uul, Uzh-Kainar, Sary-Kamysh and Kerege-Tash of Ak-Sui district of Issyk-Kul province.
FAO will also procure fertilizers and materials for protective hotbed facilities for members of SHG, the Project counterparts. In future members of SHG may consolidate their resources and create rural development funds, which will further contribute to solution of social and economic problems of the villagers.
“Agricultural Assistance to Vulnerable, Food-Insecure Female-Headed Household’s” Project has been implemented since March 2010 under the One UN Program in Kyrgyzstan. The goal of the program is reduce the impact of energy and food insecurity and the global economic crisis on the most vulnerable layers of the population.
For additional information please contact:
Ms. Nurgul Bairubaeva, National Manager, “Agricultural Assistance to Vulnerable, Food-Insecure Female-Headed Household’s”, FAO Office in Bishkek, Tel.: 46-64-74, e-mail: Nurgul.Baiburaeva@fao.org
Ms. Indira Kadyrkanova, National Program Manager, “Women Land Rights”, UNIFEM office in Bishkek, Tel.: 31-48-43/42/47, e-mail: indira.kadyrkanova@unifem.org
