Kyrgyzstan:
agricultural vocational training for young farmers
Required amount: 100,800
Received: 0
Country Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, former member of the Soviet Union.
Problem After the break-up of the Soviet Union, numerous former employees of collectivised agricultural enterprises were founding themselves in a completely new position: from one day to the next they became heads of private farms. Used to working in a centralized system of large-scale agriculture, they were quickly overwhelmed by the problems posed by the management of a small private farm that had to operate productively under completely new circumstances.
In the planned economy they had known before, the problems they were facing had been completely different from the ones they encountered in the a market economy that was introduced after the break-up of the USSR. Neither the knowledge nor the mentality of these new farmers were adapted to the new situation.
Aims of the project In response to the new situation and the new challenges the Kyrgyz farmers were – and still are- facing, a new vocational agricultural training program was installed by Helvetas in cooperation with Kyrgyz authorities. The training program in its current form – experiments with shorter cycles are under way – takes three years and consists of theoretical and practical parts, with a primary focus on enabling the (mostly young) farmers to manage their small to medium sized farms in an efficient and professional manner that will allow them to compete on the market with their products.
In this way the project makes a valuable contribution to the country’s development and helps people cope successfully with the process of transition from old economic and societal models to new ones the Kyrgyz Republic is still undergoing.
Beneficiaries The direct beneficiaries are the students supported by the project (in average 50 per school); indirectly their (future) workers, families and the communities they live in will profit from their improved capacity and knowledge.
Start and duration of the project The project activities to be supported by the contributions raised via Donation Pixel will contribute to the running of the two schools of Kochkor and Ottuk in the Naryn Oblast, during a period of one year (2007).
During the said period the funds will ensure the proper functioning of these two schools as well as the continuous development of modern curricula and adequate teaching materials, and the capacity building of teachers and other pedagogical experts which are an integral part of the program. The funding will also cover professional monitoring and technical support of the project by local and international experts. Furthermore, part of the money will be invested in a credit fund for students starting their own enterprise.
Amount needed US$ 100'800.00
FURTHER INFORMATION
Country, general information The Kyrgyz Republic is a small, land-locked Central Asian country located between China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It is an ethnically diverse nation of more than five million people with three major ethno-linguistic communities, the Kyrgyz, the Uzbeks, and the Russians. Since independence, the Kyrgyz Republic has gone through a difficult phase of economic, social and political transition. One of the poorest states within the former Soviet Union the Kyrgyz Republic is categorized as a “low-income country” and is the second poorest ex-Soviet republic after Tajikistan. The Kyrgyz economy consists of three major sectors: agriculture, industry and small retail trade. Agricultural growth is central to overall economic growth and continued poverty reduction Within the agriculture sector household plots and widespread subsistence farming remain dominant features, accounting for more than 50% of the agriculture output. The sector still employs almost one-half of the Kyrgyz workforce.
Dire Poverty Even though the incidence of income poverty in the Kyrgyz Republic has declined in recent years, it still remains very high. 40% of the population are defined as poor, of which 10% are classified as very poor. A concern is that some of the conditions that helped to reduce poverty in recent years – including growth in the agricultural sector – are no longer sustainable and that broader-based growth that creates employment and provides improved education and community infrastructure will be required if poverty levels are to continue to be reduced in a sustainable manner.
Problem of transition When Kyrgyzstan was part of the Soviet Union, its economy was centrally planned and organized in huge collective farms and state owned farming enterprises. People working in these establishments were employed as specialized workers (e.g. as stockbreeders, mechanics, or accountants) not as farmers as such. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the huge agricultural enterprises were dissolved and the land was distributed to the specialized farm workers who were now forced to make ends meet as autonomous farmers – a role previously unknown to them. This situation was fraught with many difficulties, especially in poor rural regions where the population depended mainly on agriculture.
Lack of adequate education Even though the educational system in Kyrgyzstan was relatively well developed and also offered professional training in the field of agriculture, the training was not applicable to the new situation. The curricula (both in their theoretical and practical aspects), teaching and study materials, school infrastructures and teachers’ training facilities were deficient, money for improvements was scarce. An extension service was set-up after the country’s independence, but was itself suffering from the lack of well educated agriculturalists. These were the reasons why, in 2001, our partner Helvetas started to support vocational training schools for farmers (mainly in the Nary Oblast [region] in South-Central Kyrgyzstan), the curricula of which are oriented towards the new realities.
Characteristics of the training offered The training as it was originally developed takes three years and comprises theoretical as well as practical elements.
During the first three semesters, the students are being acquainted with the main agricultural activities. The differences in production methods within the different regions of the country are also being taken into consideration. During the second and third semester, the students have to submit ideas for a small income generating project they intend to carry out (e.g. buying a cow for cheese production). Upon approval of his/her idea – usually after several corrections and re-writings of the proposal –, the student receives a small credit with which to start his/her “enterprise”; the project’s evolution is closely monitored by the school and students have the right to at least one counseling session with one of their teachers per months.
The forth and fifth semester are spent by the students on a farm. The farms, on which the students are being placed, are selected according to a set of strict criteria. During this year of apprenticeship the students have the possibility to deepen their theoretical and practical knowledge gained within the first three semesters. The apprenticeship comprises all main activities performed on a farm: cattle breeding, general management of the farm, maintenance of agricultural machinery, applying different agricultural methods and producing handicrafts. In addition to these, the students will learn additional things, depending on the specialization of the farm they are placed on (e.g. horticulture). In this time, the taskmasters on the farms and the students are being monitored by the vocational schools; regular experience sharing sessions are being held, which can also help to avoid possible conflicts between students and taskmasters.
Finally, the last semester is dedicated to farm management and marketing; the students learn how to manage a modern farming enterprise, how to plan their activities, organize their resources and sell their products successfully.
Besides supporting the on-going three year training program for upstart farmers, Helvetas is also engaged in the setting-up of new, shorter and more flexible training courses for established farmers who do not have the time to attend the original three year program. For them, in future, shorter trainings (based on tailor-made teaching modules) will be offered. Several of the schools supported by the program are currently experimenting with shorter training courses and more flexible educational models.
Expected gains The project focuses on strengthening the social and economic position of young adults seeking to become professional farmer entrepreneurs. The rural community as a whole becomes a beneficiary of the project not only through the improved economic and social position of farmers, but also through the development of training facilities and financing mechanisms. Training and service providers like the vocational schools, agricultural training centers, university institutions, farmers organizations and local businesses (processing units, etc.) become direct or indirect beneficiaries of the project.
Budget
US $
Support for two schools for one year, including curriculum development, teaching materials, capacity building, monitoring and assistance by local and international experts
90,000
Subtotal
(89.29%)
90,000
Additional costs related to the support offered by Donation Pixel:
- Project visits and reporting
2,000
- Administration, head office, translations
1,400
- Information, website (adaptation and maintenance)
1,500
- Legal support, visibility, information documentation
1,000
- Reserve for unforeseen expenses
1,876
Subtotal
(7.71%)
7,776
- Financial transfers, fees
3,024
Subtotal
(3%)
3,024
Total
(100%)
100,800
Partners
Helvetas, Swiss association for international cooperation.
Kyrgyz government.
National Center for Methodology, Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.
Control The project is regularly monitored by the Helvetas office in the Kyrgyz Republic which also provides reports to the head office semi-annually. Otherwise, a representative of Donation Pixel will visit the project in person.
Audit Helvetas (including all her country offices) is subject to audits on a yearly basis. Financial reports, authorized by the external auditor, are published in print and on the internet.
Reports
Regular reports will be provided to Donation Pixel in order to inform the donors
Upon completion of the project (i.e. the part of the program financed through Donation Pixel), a financial and narrative report will be submitted to Donation Pixel.
