Japan, WFP launch $4.5M resilience building project to strengthen agriculture value chains in southern Kyrgz

“Japan is pleased to support this initiative, which contributes to sustainable rural development in the Kyrgyz Republic,” said his excellency Hirano Ryuichi, Ambassador of Japan to Kyrgyzstan. “Through this project, we aim to strengthen food systems and empower smallholder farmers to achieve long-term food security and economic stability.”

Agriculture is a primary livelihood for rural communities across the Kyrgyz Republic, yet farmers are increasingly affected by climate change and water scarcity. The project will support farmers in Batken, Jalal‑Abad and Osh provinces to adopt climate‑smart farming practices, improve productivity and incomes, and build long‑term resilience.

“The partnership reflects our shared commitment to supporting the implementation of the National Development Program of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2030 and the Food Security and Nutrition Program 2025-2030,” said Kojiro Nakai, WFP Representative and Country Director in the Kyrgyz Republic.

“Given the recent water stresses and weather anomalies, investing in climate-smart solutions, will help smallholder farmers build sustainable livelihoods resilient to climate hazards.”

Farmers will receive high‑quality seedlings and climate‑resilient greenhouses with drip irrigation, water storage, organic composting and small storage units to cut post‑harvest losses. Training in climate‑smart agriculture, post‑harvest handling, financial management and cooperative governance will strengthen market linkages and promote sustainable land and water use.

“This initiative supports our national priorities to boost agricultural productivity and strengthen agricultural cooperatives to ultimately build resilience among farmers,” said Duisheev Mirbek, Deputy Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry. “This partnership demonstrates the importance of coordinated efforts to support smallholder farmers nationwide and promote the integration of rural producers.”

The project will be implemented with technical support and oversight from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), contributing to the Ministry’s master plan for value chain development of berries and vegetables through a cluster‑based approach.

“This new initiative builds on that foundation by strengthening linkages across the value chain, improving farmers’ productivity and incomes, and further advancing cluster development under the master plan.” said Mr. Nishigata, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Japan is a longstanding strategic partner of WFP in the Kyrgyz Republic. Building on previous support, including emergency assistance during the Batken crisis, market‑oriented public‑private partnerships and the promotion of climate‑smart agriculture, this contribution will further strengthen rural resilience and support human capital development nationwide.

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