Project overview
BOOST’s overall objective was to strengthen Business Intermediary Organisations (BIOs) in their capacity to offer services specifically in the area of energy efficiency as well as quality and standards of products relevant for MSME growth and job creation in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The Project had two specific objectives which focused on enhancing the business enabling environment and on increasing the professional capacity of entrepreneurs and job seekers. Therefore, BOOST has been promoting private sector development with focus on the textile and agri-business and food processing sector as particular focal areas. The Project had started in February 2020 and finished end of January 2023.
Implementers
BOOST was a joint effort of the lead applicant sequa and its three co-applicants, the Chamber of Commerce (later replaced by Uztextilprom), the Industry of Uzbekistan (CCIU), the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyzstan (CCIK) and Voka – Chamber of Commerce and Industry Antwerp-Waasland. The Project capitalised on experience gained in the framework of the CAI IV funded project NICE-TAK and during the SWITCH Asia funded projects SMART Myanmar I and II, both of them dealing with the textile and garment industry.
Actions implemented
- Workshops and Training to enhance capacities of BIOs to provide services to MSMEs in energy efficiency, market access, access to finance and access to qualified human resources with most trainings being Train-of-Trainers activities
- Workshops, Training and Coaching for MSMEs provided by our partner BIOs in energy efficiency, market access, access to finance and access to qualified human resources
- Workshops, Training and Coaching for Jobseekers empowering them to open their own company (startup) or to have better chances on the labour market
Conclusion
The project was overall successful, and we would like to present the following conclusions:
- It would be beneficial to explore the possibility of launching an initiative dedicated to Public Private Dialogue in the Fergana Valley, possibly linking it to the development of the area as a region. The initiative should have a strong mandate and adequate resources to deepen the work done by our project in this area.
- Our project did not prioritize women entrepreneurship as this was not the main objective of the action. It is recommended that future initiatives should provide resources for the promotion of both types of business run by women, creation of extra/additional income (and due to small size work in cooperatives) and promoting real women entrepreneurship and support for women-run businesses.
- There are a couple of spin-offs that resulted from the project activities. One should consider providing additional funding in the support of successful and sustainable organisations on their growth path. Support should be mainly provided for the creation of additional projects and business ideas in their initial stage only. The use of the knowledge collected in our project should be reused in the future.
- The topic of energy efficiency is not a top priority both in Uzbekistan and in Kyrgyzstan as long the connection between energy efficiency and energy supply is not made clear to the population and businesses. There is a need for more awareness and a different price-setting to change incentives.
- BIO (BMOs) should advocate a better business environment for their member companies and participate in economic policy making (strategies) for the countries. One should follow a policy of strengthening professional and sectoral organisations to do efficient advocacy for their profession or sector. These organisations should be capacitated to work professionally. Initiatives should start bottom up.
- The South of Kyrgyzstan lacks instruments of funding start-ups and growth in strategically important sectors. It would be important to get away from grants for investment to revolving funds that would take away the risk from the start-up or company but claim refund and interest in case of success. Many start-ups are not in a position to take a high risk. The initiative needs to be accompanied with a training program for entrepreneurs and a development strategy for the region.
- In EU funded projects the priority is on export to the EU (Europe). This is very difficult as both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are remote countries. For Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan the objective should be a market access to the home-market, local and regional markets rather than far away exports.
Contact person: Jürgen Mähler, SEQUA, E-mail: juergen.maehler@sequa.de
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