DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, August 21. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $17.5 million grant to help improve women’s agricultural skills and boost food security in Tajikistan, Trend reports.
According to the bank, the resilient livelihoods and empowerment of rural women project aims to improve productivity of women-led farms, strengthen agriculture processing and storage facilities, and enhance support to vulnerable women in Bokhtar, Farkhor, Kulob, Pyanj, Shahritus, and Vose districts of Khatlon province.
Within the framework of the project, female farmers will get various agricultural inputs, such as drying facilities, greenhouses, and water-saving irrigation technologies. They will also be trained in financial management and production technologies including nature-based solutions and integrated pest management. The focus will be on fruits, vegetables, and beekeeping, which show the highest income potential.
The project will also support small-scale post-harvest processing and storage hubs to improve the quality of products, leading to higher value in local and export markets. It will also help establish digital learning and agricultural trade platforms.
In addition, Tajikistan will establish a shelter with gender-based violence support services such as counseling, referral system, livelihood training, and entrepreneurial opportunities under the guidance of the Committee on Women and Family Affairs, and the Khatlon administration.
Tajikistan joined ADB in 1998. ADB has supported a wide range of sectors from strategic road and energy infrastructure to health, education, agriculture, urban development, public sector management, and finance for a total of over $2.6 billion in assistance, including over $2 billion in grants.