BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 23. The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), within the framework of the "Access to Market (ATMP)" project in Kyrgyzstan, develops digital products for the advancement of the country's agricultural sector, IFAD Country Director for Kyrgyzstan and Moldova Samir Bejaoui told Trend.
According to him, IFAD is partnering with selected financial institutions in Kyrgyzstan to promote four digital products that are currently in test mode:
- Online trade, logistics and funding platform for smallholders;
- Warehouse receipts programme, now at the implementation stage with the online platform in place;
- A milk collection and digital lending app;
- Financial and digital literacy training program for residents of rural areas of Kyrgyzstan.
Bejaoui said that since the launch of the project in 2016, 78 out of 93 planned training courses on business skills development, livestock production have been held, in which 1,456 people have participated.
"By the end of 2022, ATMP will reach a total of 1,500 agricultural entrepreneurs who will also receive training to improve skills for sustainable pasture management and livestock development," he added.
In his opinion, livestock production in Kyrgyzstan is the main source of livelihood for poor rural smallholders and makes a major contribution to people’s incomes, nutrition and food security. However, productivity is low and insufficient to lift rural people out of poverty.