Growing together: Integrating farmers into value chains with sustainable finance

Growing together: Integrating farmers into value chains with sustainable finance
HomeNewsWorking meeting on implementation of international standards and certification schemes under the “Value Chain Agro Finance” project

Working meeting on implementation of international standards and certification schemes under the “Value Chain Agro Finance” project

On December 11 we held a working meeting in Bishkek under the “Value Chain Agro Finance” project. Among the participants were heads of agricultural clusters, business associations and specialized structural units of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the meeting, the project team presented the project activities and provided information on the technical support for enterprises which are processing agricultural products. Moreover, we informed about the implementation of international food safety standards, product quality and certification schemes.

“It is important for us to bring key information about the activities of the “Value Chain Agro- Finance” project to the participants of agricultural VCs and to get feedback and expectations from the project. The working meeting was dynamic and, what is pleasing, with active involvement of the participants, which shows the high interest and importance of the project implementation in the Kyrgyz Republic”, says Team Leader Victor Chiriac.

 

The project aims to introduce advanced agricultural production technologies, including green, resource-saving and climate change-resistant technologies as well as processing and distribution technologies in the agri-food sector. Moreover, it introduces international certification systems and aims to integrate farmers into value chains.

The total budget of the “Value Chain Agro -Finance” project, co-financed by the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the German Development Bank (KFW) is 37 mio EUR.

The “Value Chain Agro -Finance” project was officially launched on April 25, 2023 and is implemented by the German company AFC Agriculture and Finance Consultants, in consortium with CAIConsulting, with the assistance and participation of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Kyrgyz Republic. The project will work with partner financial institutions and agricultural SMEs, processing companies and other value chain stakeholders through tailored technical assistance.

The project is implemented within the framework agreement between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany on financial and technical cooperation for 2015-2016 (ratified by the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic No. 66 of May 20, 2016).