Kumtor Company and AVEP Public Foundation inform of their joint project

published: 17 April 2013

The Kumtor Company and AVEP Public Foundation inform of their joint three-year project, Karagat+, designed to give a boost to communities and expand the potential of the fruit-and-berry market in Kyrgyzstan. The Project area will be the Issyk-Kul region, the southern coast of Lake Issyk-Kul in particular. Under this environmentally oriented Project, the Foundation will be training the farmers in the field of growing new varieties of currants, high-yield and cold- and disease-resistant, and innovative irrigation methods. AVEP experts will also provide assistance in creating a network of nursery gardens and farming goods reception centers.

Under the Project, special attention will be given to raising the farmers’ awareness of marketing fundamentals to enable them to act unassisted in establishing distribution facilities and making berry-growing business more profitable. AVEP undertakes to help farmers as early as this year in their efforts to market their produce. Following the selection and training of farmers this non-governmental organization is supposed to start assembling the drip irrigation system in the plots allotted.

“This Project’s key advantage is that it allows for a comprehensive approach to berry-growing. The Foundation will be assisting the farmers all the way through: from the purchase and distribution of seedlings to the sale and processing of the finished produce. It is also of great importance that the Project will have a good effect on the environment as currants bush roots will stabilize hill sides and thus minimize soil erosion,” said AVEP Director, Maksat Abdykaparov.

“We are happy that this Project is going to be implemented, with our support, in the Issyk-Kul region. Hopefully, this Project will increase the farmers’ incomes and promote innovative farming methods throughout the region,” said President of Kumtor Company, Michael Fischer.

For further information visit www.karagat.kg

AVEP is a Central Asian non-governmental and non-political organization working widely with international organizations, private, public and government sector to contribute more effectively to sustainable and innovative development of rural regions in the Kyrgyz Republic.