BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 11. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the launch of a new five-year Rural Market Development (MDRD) project in Tajikistan, Trend reports with reference to the Embassy of the US in Tajikistan.
The price of the project, which will cover the whole country, is $19 million. Its main objective is to accelerate growth in the agricultural sector of Tajikistan by providing comprehensive access to economic opportunities in rural communities.
The MDRD project is expected to support the competitiveness and sustainability of Tajikistan's agricultural sector by establishing links between farmers and agribusinesses and promoting close and mutually beneficial cooperation throughout the value chain.
The project will strengthen value chains for fruits, vegetables, specialty crops, and dairy products, increasing the potential of their participants and attracting investments.
The target audience of the project are farmers, youth, and women, participating in Tajikistan's agricultural market.
The US Ambassador to Tajikistan, Manuel Micaller, noted that this project aligns with the goals of Tajikistan's new sustainable agricultural development program and will contribute to the transformation of Tajikistan's economic base from agricultural to agro-industrial.
USAID assists the government of Tajikistan to reduce hunger, undernutrition, and poverty of smallholder farmers, as well as improving health and education sectors. In order to provide economic development and improve connectivity between regions, USAID is working towards reforming the energy, trade, and water sectors, while also creating connections across different areas.