The One Village – One Product (OVOP) initiative has become an effective mechanism for supporting local producers, increasing employment, and strengthening the socio-economic resilience of regions by creating new opportunities for entrepreneurship and income generation in rural communities. How this approach was integrated into the RESILAND Kyrgyzstan project was presented by Chinara Berbaeva, Deputy Director of the Project Implementation Unit under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic (MES KR), during the Regional Dialogue, “Harmonizing Policies, Developing a Roadmap and Digital Tools to Coordinate Joint Efforts,” held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.
Video in Russian
Interview Summary
Under RESILAND Kyrgyzstan, the One Village – One Product (OVOP) approach has been integrated with activities aimed at resilient landscape restoration and disaster risk reduction. Alongside engineered, green, and nature-based solutions, the project places strong emphasis on the socio-economic development of vulnerable communities. In partnership with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic, we organized training in producing goods from locally sourced raw materials, helping create new income-generating opportunities for local residents.
Since 2024, these activities have reached more than 20 vulnerable communities across the Osh, Jalal-Abad, Naryn, and Issyk-Kul regions. More than 128 training sessions have been delivered, and over 36 product types have been developed using locally sourced raw materials. The project aims to create 800 sustainable jobs while promoting an integrated model that combines disaster risk reduction with expanded economic opportunities for local communities.
Background
In the Kyrgyz Republic, the One Village – One Product (OVOP) initiative has been implemented since 2007 with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). It promotes job creation, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises, the introduction of efficient production systems, and the manufacture of high-quality, competitive products made from locally sourced raw materials.
Over the years, OVOP has established itself as one of the country's most successful regional economic development initiatives and has received official government recognition. In 2023, by Presidential Decree of the Kyrgyz Republic, OVOP was officially designated a National Economic Project, underscoring its strategic importance and its key role in the country's socio-economic development.
Since its launch in the Kyrgyz Republic, the initiative has developed more than 2,700 products made from locally sourced raw materials. OVOP products are sold not only on the domestic market but are also exported to Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Russian Federation, the United States, and European countries.
More than 3,500 producers participate in the initiative, 95.5 percent of whom are women. Across the country, 107 production facilities and 75 retail outlets market branded OVOP products.
The successful implementation of OVOP in the Kyrgyz Republic has attracted the interest of neighboring countries, supporting its gradual expansion and replication across Central Asia.
Today, OVOP serves as a successful national model for sustainable regional development in the Kyrgyz Republic, contributing to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, the expansion of export potential, and the strengthening of the “Made in Kyrgyzstan” brand.
by Zhanna Khusainova, PR/Communications Consultant/Expert, CAREC.
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The Kyrgyz Republic Resilient Landscape Restoration Project is part of the World Bank’s RESILAND CA+ program, aimed at strengthening landscape resilience across Central Asian countries. Similar national and regional activities are also being implemented in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) implements the regional component of the Kyrgyz Republic Resilient Landscape Restoration Project.
Additional information:
Chinara Berbayeva - Deputy Director, Project Implementation Department under the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Kyrgyz Republic / Project Manager, RESILAND Kyrgyzstan
Lyudmila Kiktenko - Deputy Team Leader, “The Kyrgyz Republic Resilient Landscape Restoration Project: Regional Component” Project, CAREC, lkiktenko@carececo.org