The project was implemented by HILFSWERK INTERNATIONAL and worked with BIOs in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Project overview
During the three years (01.01.2020 – 31.12.2022) the project implemented all planned activities contributing to the achievement of the Project Outcome, to empower Business Intermediary Organizations (BIO) in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan to promote and sustainably support an enabling environment for agribusiness MSMEs. The project enhanced capacities of BIOs and MSMEs, active in the agribusinesses, in commercial quality standards, food safety and traceability, product promotion, cluster development and interaction of business and education/research, as well as knowledge management.
After completing a number of comprehensive capacity building courses, BIOs could add to their portfolio 9 new services: Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001), Environmental Management Systems (ISO 14001), Occupational Safety Management Systems (ISO 45001), Integrated Quality Management Systems, promotion of GIs, GlobalG.A.P food safety, introduction of quality assurance and inspection for fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV) and introduction of quality assurance and inspection for dried and dry produce (DDP).
Eight BIO initiatives on necessary supportive regulations/mechanisms and enhancing economic policies for agribusinesses MSMEs have been accepted by Central Asian Governments and national decision makers – 1) The regional initiative on lobbying and harmonization of legislations in accordance with Global G.A.P and 2) the regional initiative on promotion of GI in Central Asia; 3) Regional Platform for custom simplification for perishable agriproducts, incl. 5 road maps for simplifications of procedures; 4) regional initiative for cluster approach and formation of agri-clusters in Central Asia 5) Scientific Entrepreneurial Platforms, incl. Methodology for internships at MSMEs; 6) Regular initiatives by the Central Asia Working Group (CAWG); 7) Financial support scheme in Kyrgyzstan, for producing MSMEs, introducing Global GAP; 8) Introducing food safety standards in higher education curricula, promoted by Central Asian BIOs with synergies of EU Erasmus+ Hilfswerk International project AgroDEV.
Result 1: Enhanced capacity of BIOs to support the improvement of commercial quality of agri-products:
A major regional achievement is the joint (by the four National Technical Groups – NTGs) development of new standards for the dried persimmon, apricot kernels, peanuts (shelled, in shelled) to the interest of the Central Asian producers and their approval by the United Nations Economic Commission of Europe (UNECE) and all exporters and importers globally. The competences and role of the NTGs are recognized by Central Asian producers; they request support by the NTG in the development of explanatory materials and the organisation of trainings on commercial quality.
Commercial quality standards have been introduced in 30 producing and processing MSMEs in the region; this was possible due to the tailor-made trainings and enhanced capacity of BIOs, as well as the elaboration of guidelines and materials necessary for the conduction of information and awareness raising sessions.
The Central Asia Working Group (CAWG) shows continuously more local ownership – the CAWG members initiated the development of the CAWG website – http://ca-wg.net/. All publications on commercial quality and food safety standards developed by the CANDY V project consortium for three years (2020 – 2022) are centrally uploaded to the CAWG website, which was launched in 2020. Thanks to these publications, the CAWG website gets very popular in Central Asia and far beyond its borders (https://ca-wg.net/publications/). The documents have been downloaded 554.288 times within the frame of the project implementation. All posters are translated into the national languages of the Central Asian countries (Tajik, Kyrgyz, Uzbek, and some of them in Kazakh). International experts on commercial quality standards from Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the United States reviewed and made their own amendments, which were considered in the development of explanatory posters. The explanatory posters on dried melon, dried persimmon, peanut beans, and peanut bean kernels received an international status in 2024.
The National Technical Groups (NTG) are very active. For example, NTG Kazakhstan conducted a series of seminars for farmers Almaty, Zhambyl, Turkestan, and Kyzylorda regions on the requirements of commercial standards, food safety standards and promotion as Geographical Indications. Jointly with Metro Cash & Carry, a training was conducted for suppliers, heads of industry associations (oil and fat, potato and vegetable growers, grain processors, etc.) at the Metro Cash &Carry in Almaty and Astana. The work of the NTGs and CAWG is continuing also after the end of the project with the provision of many trainings and lobby to the interests of Central Asian producers and processors.
Result 2: Enhanced capacity of BIOs to support food safety and traceability of agri-products:
CANDY V put the issues of ensuring food safety for fresh agricultural products (based on Global G.A.P. international standard) on the political agenda and received the support of high-level governmental officials of three Central Asian countries (Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan). The project set up the framework of Private Public Dialogue Platforms, which prepare the Institutional Preconditions for harmonisation of law regulations in line with international requirements of food safety – 3 National Working Groups (in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan) were established with participation of BIOs, private sector and at least 5 relevant state agencies. With the support of the project and the Secretariat of Global GAP, the PPP platforms elaborated the National Interpretation Guidelines of the international requirements for GAP, needed to initiate and introduce purposeful reforms ensuring food safety. The National Interpretation Guidelines for Tajikistan were finalized and uploaded on the Global GAP webpage. In Kazakhstan, the work on the development of the National Guide to the interpretation of international requirements of GlobalGAP in version 6.0. continues after the end of the project. By Order of the Chairman of the Committee for Technical Regulation and Metrology No. 24-2-23/935-I dated 04/04/2023 the Road Map for the implementation of NTG RK activities for the creation of the National Guidelines was approved. The National Interpretation Guide for Kyrgyzstan has been developed according to version 6.0 and is being verified by the GlobalGAP Secretariat. The NTG KR continues its work after the completion of the project; from January 2023 to March 2024, 8 meetings were held.
Due to the joint efforts of CANDY V and the GIZ TRIGGER program the “Program on the creation of favourable conditions for the implementation of good agricultural practices in agricultural production in Tajikistan” has been developed and approved by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan dated 28 October 2020, No. 567:
http://investmentcouncil.tj/upload/iblock/6ba/Brief%20Note_global%20gap_eng1.pdf.
Jointly with the GIZ TFCA Programme (associate partner in CANDY V), CANDY V launched a “Regional Initiative on Simplification of Customs Procedures for Perishable Agro-products and Trade Facilitation”, involving private sector and competent state authorities. Based on the results of the monitoring of the existing customs procedures and regulations for the transportation of perishable fresh fruits and vegetables, conducted in 2020, 2021 and 2022 by instructing transportation companies to record time, costs, and procedures at the borders, one regional and four national road maps for the simplification of the procedures for perishable agriproducts were developed, which were adopted by all National Committees for Trade Facilitation.
The first training in Global GAP food safety for livestock in Central Asia capacitated and certified 20 experts to introduce international food safety standards for livestock.
30 experts in Central Asia were trained and 21 (having successfully passed the exam) have been internationally certified as Representative for Quality, Environment and Occupational Safety Management Systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001). By the end of the project, they managed to introduce the international standards in 30 SMEs in Central Asia.
Result 3: Enhanced capacity of BIOs to support promotion of agri-products:
Key deliverables are the elaborated and disseminated documents, Synopsis of existing market analysis https://hilfswerk.tj/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CANDY5_EN_synopsis-of-existing-market-analyses.pdf and the Guidelines for promotion campaigns of Central Asian products in countries of potential markets,
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1qwuw-hkvq9nKgfI_syAUMVdfrUEFDl4z. The latter also contains a concept and checklist for the organisation of an Export Promotion Showcase for Central Asian Food Products, which was successfully conducted in June 2022 in Vienna in cooperation with the four Central Asian Embassies in Vienna, https://www.society.at/praesentation-und-verkostung-zentralasiatischer-agrarprodukte/.
35 representatives of BIOs and private sector enhanced their skills in marketing and sales strategies by applying the business simulation “Global Strategy.
Result 4: Enhanced capacity of BIOs to support active development of Geographical Indications (GI) in Central Asia
CANDY V launched the process of an active development of the GI ecosystem in Central Asia. The project provided 20 national capacity building webinars (5 per country), elaborated a comprehensive inventory of numerous products with GI potential of the four project countries, feasibility studies on 12 selected products and facilitated the piloting of the At-Bashi White Honey, Ashtak Dried Apricot, Almaty Apport Apple, Khoresm Melon as GIs. Four GI Associations of Producers were established and officially registered, the Code of Practices/Product Specification and Internal Control Plans for the four GI products were developed, and logos were designed. Shortly after the end of the project the Almaty Aport Apple has been officially registered on the national level. At the international conference “Legal protection of geographical indications and their role in promoting national brands” held on March 4-5, 2024 in Turkestan, Kazakhstan and supported by Hilfswerk International and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the Ministry of Justice announced that it was working to speed up the international registration of the State Institution “Almaty Aport”.
The project produced 4 videos (one for each pilot GI) aiming at promoting the single Geographical Indications, and the concept of Geographical Indications in each country. These short videos show history and tradition, the specific quality/typicity, as well as the commitment of producers to preserve them.
Almaty Aport Apple, Kazakhstan: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ixyG6CEO16v9kg5kWCi9Nwk7fZJXPJTb?usp=sharing
Ashtak Dried Apricot from Asht, Tajikistan: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-siSKjByJNiFNJFOigTV2hzMqldwW4fo?usp=sharing
At-Bashi Sainfoin White Honey, Kyrgyzstan: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1meDst7ZzRnJXzTIQjTkE9kW_dzMM6zDV?usp=sharing
Khoresm Melon, Uzbekistan: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NMgN-euAoSom48A3aBLOOVvuiBAd4_Qf?usp=sharing
24 participants from Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan), visited Austria from 19th – 26th June 2022 to learn the best practices of the European Union (EU) in Agro-cluster development and tools to increase recognizability of agricultural produce through the application of Geographical Indications. https://asiaplustj.info/ru/node/313688.
Result 5: Enhanced capacity of BIOs to support cluster development and enhance the interaction between business and research/education.
CANDY V mobilized the relevant government agencies to consider the possibility of creating prerequisites for the establishment of agro-industrial clusters in Tajikistan. Jointly with GIZ TRIGGER, a concept for the formation of agro-industrial clusters was developed and presented to the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan. In October 2020, the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan adopted the Concept “Decree of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan dating from October 28, 2020 No. 566” On the Concept of creation and development of agro-industrial clusters in the Republic of Tajikistan up to 2040” http://79.170.188.68/show_doc.fwx?Rgn=137515.
90 representatives of BIOs and relevant state agencies enhanced their expertise on cluster development in agri-businesses in the frame of a capacity building module.
10 national meetings and regional exchange visits of scientific entrepreneurial platforms (SEP) have been conducted. Four SEP initiatives/documents have been promoted to national and local decision-makers and/or regional public-private platforms: Regulation on the work of the SEP and Methodology for the formation / creation of SEP, Regulation on the conduction of internships, Methodology for monitoring the progress of internships.
509 (243 women) students in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan participated at elective courses/ open lessons, study visits to companies, 22 (9 women) completed internships in companies with the support of CANDY V. CANDY V supported the internship of Mr. Rakhat Ulanbek Uulu, a young Kyrgyz expert, who graduated in France and returned to his country where he can be a driving force for more GI promotion. He coordinated the GI piloting in Kyrgyzstan for six months under the direction by the project. His successful work and contribution to the project was a real case work, which built the basis for his master thesis, which he successfully defended in summer 2022.
Result 6: Enhanced capacity of BIOs in knowledge management
A further major accomplishment is the concept of the Knowledge Management component of the project and the developed 4 Good Practice Models of the project already documented: Good Practice Model 1: Central Asia Working Group (CAWG), Good Practice Model 2: INTEGRATED APPROACH ON IMPLEMENTATION OF FOOD SAFETY (GLOBALG.A.P.) STANDARDS IN CENTRAL ASIA, Good Practice Model 3: CANDY V APPROACH ON PROMOTING GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATIONS (GI) IN CENTRAL ASIA, Good Practice Model 4: Scientific Entrepreneurial Platforms (SEP).
33 regional project articles are disseminated via the CANDY-CA network.
Implementers
This project was implemented in a consortium led by Hilfswerk International in cooperation with the following partners: HWI is one of Austria’ major international organizations for development cooperation and has profound experience in economic development projects, focusing on capacity building and support to micro- and small businesses. REDD France provided the expertise required to ensure a smooth implementation of the Geographical Indication (GI)sub-output. Qualityaustria is the leading Austrian contact for the Integrated Management System, based on quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management. AAC provided a comprehensive capacity building on agro-clusters, including workshops in CA and organising meetings during the EU study tour. Further implementers and associates were AFVE, UPCT, MIS, KASPFI, the CCI of Uzbekistan, GIZ.
Further information can be found here.
Contact person: Stoyanka Manolcheva, Umed Aslanov, Hilfswerk International, E-mail: Stoyanka.Manolcheva@hilfswerk-international.at