Resource Efficiency in Agri-food Production and Processing (REAP)

While agriculture plays a major role in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, food insecurity and a strong dependence on food imports increases vulnerability to climate change and geopolitics. In Uzbekistan, the share of small businesses (Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises - MSMEs) in gross agricultural production is 98.1%.  The export of Uzbek agricultural products increases from year to year. As for processing and intermediate storage, Uzbekistan is in the top twenty countries in terms of cold storage. In Tajikistan more than 60% of the population lives in the rural areas. The country’s natural resource base is weak and, due to remaining agricultural inefficiencies of the Soviet system, declined productivity poses severe challenges for its food security. Business is constrained and a key condition for improving economic growth and investment involves improving the business environment in agri-food processing by introducing more efficient production techniques.

TARGET GROUPS:

• MSMEs in the agri-food production and processing industries

• Local business consultants

• National and international financing institutions

• Ministries, executive agencies and local authorities

• Industry clusters & associations for agri-food production and processing

GLOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

The action seeks to improve sustainability in the agri-food production and processing industries in two ways:  

• Targeting fast, cost-efficient SCP measures, showcasing the business case of such measures and creating a win-win mind-set in MSMEs; 

• Building MSMEs capacity to deal innovatively with challenges in natural resource shortages and creating ecosystems for SCP and supply-chain integration.