Kyrgyz Agro-Input Enterprise Development Project with Support of Kumtor Company Will Rehabilitate 1 500 Hectares of Land in Issyk-Kul Oblast

published: 17 April 2014

Kumtor Company and Kyrgyz Agro-Input Enterprise Development (KAED) Project, implemented by International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), launched a joint project on rehabilitation of two sites with a total acreage of 1,500 hectares in Svetlaya Polyana and Jeti-Oguz rural councils, Issyk-Kul oblast. The launching ceremony was held on April 16, 2014 in Svetlaya Polyana rural council, Issyk-Kul oblast. It is planned to complete rehabilitation works by end of August 2014.

Kumtor Company allocated 242,000 U.S. dollars for rehabilitation works. KAED project and local farmers will invest expertise and labor in an approximate amount of 80,000 U.S. dollars. The activity is aimed at rehabilitation of irrigation systems and soil fertility restoration, both of which are necessary to bring the land back to production.

“KAED project specialists will work closely with local governments to ensure that the local community plays an active role in the land rehabilitation projects. The rehabilitation works and agricultural productivity improvement are expected to benefit at least 3,500 farmers in the region. On the first site in Kabak village, Jeti-Oguz rayon a pump station will be reconstructed, water ejector and inlet will be repaired, a daily runoff pond will be cleaned, a transformer and a power line will be installed. On the second site in Svetlaya Polyana rural council a daily runoff pond will be cleaned and rehabilitated. In addition, a large-scale demonstration field of 50 hectares will be organized to facilitate the auctioning off of rehabilitated land.”, – noted Hiqmet Demiri, Chief of Party of KAED project.

In 2013, KAED project with support of Kumtor Company completed rehabilitation works on two sites in Jeti-Oguz rayon. This new project in 2014 will draw on the successful examples and lessons from last year’s activity. It is expected that crop yields will be increased in coming years by 50 percent on the rehabilitated lands by applying yield-enhancing technologies and advanced methods of soil fertility restoration. After land rehabilitation, farmers would be able to increase their yields of wheat, barley and perennial grasses. It will be possible to grow other crops, such as potatoes, oilseeds, pulses, garlic.