"We already have a history of high resource efficiency among REAP member companies. These companies are experiencing significant savings in electricity, water, and raw materials, and have also reduced packaging waste. Other companies-participants of REAP are practicing the process of industrial symbiosis, when waste from one company becomes a resource for another", stated Valeriya Orlova, REAP project manager, at Session II "Strategies of circular economy in the agrifood sector".
Session II was held as part of the SWITCH-Asia webinar "Sustainable Consumption and Production. Rethinking Agri-Food Systems through Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency: Barriers, Innovations and Experiences" on June 8 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.
In her presentation on the activities of the Resource Efficiency in Agri-Food Production and Processing (REAP) Project in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, Valeriya Orlova, vorlova@carececo.org , noted:
"REAP project uses such circular strategies as renewable resources (introduction of renewable energy sources at processing stages, replacement of biological materials), resource efficiency (energy efficiency, water and material efficiency), shared resources (single utilities / services for small and medium enterprises), resource recovery (industrial symbiosis and composting)."
"Going forward, REAP plans to pilot some circular strategies: the use of renewable resources in product packaging, resource sharing for by-product viability or for resource recovery and for returnable packaging systems. One of the most important conditions for achieving these goals is a high level of cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises."
The REAP project promotes the introduction of more efficient production technologies in the field of agricultural processing in small and medium enterprises in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In this regard, the project pays special attention to the promotion of sustainable consumption and production practices in agri-food production in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which will improve the environment. Project timeframe: 2020-2024.
The REAP project is funded by the European Union in the framework of the SWITCH-Asia Grant Programme and implemented by the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia (CAREC).
Read more about REAP activities at https://ru.reap-centralasia.org/resource-center/