Tajikistan: Expanding Finance in Rural Areas, Dushanbe 28&29 Nobember 2006
A two-day workshop in the Tajik capital Dushanbe organised by the EBRD looked into ways of expanding rural and agricultural finance in the central Asian country. Given the importance of the agricultural sector for the Tajik economy, improved access to loans and other financial services is crucial for farmers, food processors and related businesses. Building on its efforts to enhance micro, small and medium enterprise finance in urban areas, the EBRD is looking into ways to expand rural and agricultural finance.
The Bank requested the FAO to undertake a feasibility study assessing the demand for and supply of rural and agricultural lending and to identify options for enhancing such finance. The key findings of this study were presented and discussed during two workshops:
The first workshop, held on November 28, was targeted at senior government officials, donors and senior management of financial institutions. Information on initiatives in rural/agricultural finance and agricultural/agribusiness development were shared in order to foster synergies and identify gaps
The second workshop, held on November 29, was more technical, targeting operational staff of banks and MFIs involved in agricultural lending. The purpose was to share experiences of different participants in rural and agricultural lending, discuss key issues and challenges as well as ways of addressing them.
Download