Community-based Agricultural Support Project is supporting farmers

With the support of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, in order to contribute on improving population living conditions, the Community-based Agricultural Support Project is being implemented in the targeted villages of Shahriston district.

 Istiqlol village is one of the targeted villages of CASP in Shahriston district. The total population is 1239, of which 578 are men and 652 women. The village residents are mainly engaged with cattle breeding, growing grain, potatoes and gardening. Istiqlol village farmers suffered from a lack of irrigation water for many years, thus which has limited their ability to efficiently use their agricultural lands. After beginning of CASP implementation, issues of this village residents are solving step by step.

Istiqlol VO Chairman Sherquziev B. noted that “we, village residents are happy that the “Community-based Agricultural Support Project” is being implemented in Istiqlol village. We all know that 2020-2021 was a year of low precipitation, lack of snow in the foothills and lack of irrigation water, rural farmers faced many difficulties. Fortunately, with the support of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan under the above Project in order to irrigate agricultural lands, irrigation water line was built and commissioned and currently, villagers are provided with irrigation water.

It should be noted that for the first time after collection of the first harvest, farmers of the village took advantage of this opportunity, i.e. the irrigation water line began sowing the second crop, planted corn and vegetables on their lands and collected abundant harvest. The villagers sold their products on village territory and district markets and gained additional income to improve their living standards”.

The Istiklol village potential is favorable for increasing agricultural production due to repeated sowing and idle lands. Farmers will be able to expand their arable land, grow a variety of crops and plants, and increase quality agricultural products production in the markets.

The main purpose of providing villagers with irrigation water is arable land rational use, improving land meliorative conditions, thus providing more than two or three crops per year, as well as providing the population with fresh agricultural products and achieve of one the main strategic goal of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan   -  ensuring food security.