WFP for the first time buys wheat grain from farmers in Kyrgyzstan
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has for the first time bought wheat grain from small-scale farmers in Kyrgyzstan as part of a unique initiative to connect poorer farmers to markets. The WFP Country Office reported.
According to it, the pilot initiative was made possible thanks to funding from the UN Peacebuilding Fund. It has supported 100 low-income farmers in Osh and Batken regions of Kyrgyzstan.
The low-income farmers who would otherwise not be able to sell their small wheat harvest at market price have been supported. They were selected according to vulnerability criteria such as:
- Family income rates,
- Family size;
- Number of children and presence of people with disabilities.
«Small-scale farmers in Kyrgyzstan produce low volumes of harvest and struggle with poor logistics infrastructure. In addition, buyers do not visit them to collect the grain which forces them to deliver wheat to milling companies or middlemen. This significantly lowers their earnings,» the WFP stressed.
The wheat grain was used as an aid to low-income families for carrying out socially useful projects in Kyrgyzstan.
Such projects include improving rural infrastructure and skills training opportunities.
After laboratory tests for nutritional properties and quality, milling, blending with other wheat varieties and fortification, WFP received 180 tons of high-quality fortified wheat flour which was used as incentives in Osh and Batken regions.
Over 800 direct beneficiaries in Osh and Batken regions have received locally produced food for participating in field projects including the rehabilitation of drinking/irrigation water facilities in border areas of Batken region.
