BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8
By Ilkin Seyfaddini – Trend:
Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project conforms to the development policy and direction of the Government of Uzbekistan, as well as the cooperation policy and analysis of the Government of Japan and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and will contribute to inclusive, sustainable economic growth and employment promotion in Uzbekistan, Project Formulation Advisor of JICA Uzbekistan Office Mizuho Kubota told Trend in an interview.
On December 19, 2019, the Japan International Cooperation Agency signed three loan agreements with the Government of Uzbekistan in Tokyo, to provide Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans of up to a total of 187.8 billion yen ($1.7 billion) for three projects, aiming for high-quality infrastructure and industrial diversification, which include Navoi Thermal Power Plant Modernization Project, Phase 2, (loan amount - $1.2 billion), Electric Power Sector Capacity Development Project, Phase 2, (loan amount - $344,1 million), and Horticulture Value Chain Promotion Project (loan amount - $217,1 million).
"JICA has implemented multiple projects in the agriculture sector of Uzbekistan including an ODA Loan 'Amu-Bukhara Irrigation System Rehabilitation Project, loan agreement on which was signed in 2015, a JICA partnership program 'Technology improvement of fruit growing project in Tashkent and Samarkand regions' implemented from March 2011 through March 2013, and a JICA partnership program 'Enhancement of Uzbekistan farmers’ income through applying modern apple growing technology', which was implemented from March 2015 through March 2017)," Mizuho Kubota stated.
Mizuho Kubota added that the objective of the new project is to support the improvement of financial access and the strengthening of the horticultural value chain via supplying funds to horticulture crop growers and agro-related companies (end-users) through accredited participating financial institutions, and by providing technical assistance for development of the capacity of the participating financial institutions, end-users and other project beneficiaries, thereby contributing to the development of the agriculture sector through a strengthening of the export capacity of horticulture crops together with the promotion of employment.
The project shall be will completed by the end of March 2025.
JICA is one of the world’s largest bilateral aid agencies. It’s in charge of administering Japan’s Official Development Assistance, which is an arm of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
JICA supports socioeconomic development in developing countries through flexible combination of various types of assistance methods, such as Technical Cooperation, Finance and Investment Cooperation, and Grants.
It operates in approximately 150 countries and regions of the world.
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