Russia provides access to innovative tools for sustainable local development in Tajikistan
Despite the improvements, Tajikistan remains Central Asia’s poorest country. Large segments of society remain facing daily challenges meeting basic needs for shelter, health, food, education and other needs, particularly in mountainous rural areas such as the Rasht valley.
To support Tajikistan’s efforts two projects funded by the Government of the Russian Federation were launched — "Strengthening communities in Khatlon region and Rasht valley"and “Youth for Business and Innovation”. The projects are aimed at promoting livelihoods, empowering youth and women, building capacity for sustainable business ideas, and improving local economy through stimulating entrepreneurial and innovative mindset among the rural population.
On 16 April 2021 UNDP, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and the Embassy of the Russian Federation to Tajikistan visited Rasht Valley in a joint mission to observe the work of UNDP projects funded by the Government of Russian Federation.
The delegation visited the youth educational and information center of Lakhsh district established to teach foreign languages, entrepreneurship and ICT skills to young people to improve service provision in tourism sphere. To date, 30 young people, including 13 girls, have completed two-month elementary English language courses and courses in tourism promotion and young guide training.
The delegation also met with representatives of youth mobile group providing agrarian service to dehkhan farms and individual farmers trained to use innovative methods of gardening and equipped with modern technology for the treatment of gardens and crops.
The partners then visited a wool processing workshop, equipped with machinery for full production cycle from carding to roll-drying, previously done manually. The capacity of equipment for processing 3.5 tons of wool per month, which significantly speeds the process and also helps the farmers make profit of the natural product that the farmers preciously used to dispose due to lack of processing capacity.
This year four mobile applications on innovative tools for farmers, provision of credit funds for vulnerable population on launching small economic projects, supporting local economic and income generation projects are planned within the Small Innovation Fund to further improve livelihood in Rasht Valley.
All the initiatives are implemented under UNDP "Strengthening communities in Khatlon region and Rasht valley" and “Youth for Business and Innovation” projects funded by the Government of the Russian Federation.