Country Reports- Central and Eastern Europe and CIS

Hungary

Irrigation and Extension Project

The main scope of the project puts emphasis on R & D field activities including irrigation technologies, greenhouse and fruit production. The project involves agricultural extension, demonstration and experimental plots at different sites in the country, aiming to improve the technological level of family farms, and larger commercial farm operations. The project is being carried out in cooperation with the Agricultural University of Szarvas within a bilateral agreement between MASHAV and the Hungarian Ministry of Agriculture.

Kazakhstan

Kunarli High Value Horticulture Project

Established in a privatized former sovkhoz, this project aims at demonstrating modern and innovative horticulture techniques and technologies for protected, out-of-season production as well as for diversified and quality fresh horticulture production. The site was established within the privatized Kunarli Farm, formerly a sovkhoz.

The project focuses on production and technology improvements, including greenhouse facilities. It uses existing structures that were upgraded with relevant technologies, thereby demonstrating possible re-use of local non-operational infrastructures and equipment for economic market development. This endeavor has become a focal point for farmers and professionals wishing to observe and study the farm activities, as well as for other similar private commercial initiatives.

The demonstration farm is linked to, and serves as a study and training facility for both the academic staff and students of Almaty University. The project is also utilized by the agribusiness center for demonstration and entrepreneurial activities. (More...)

Self-Supporting Humanitarian Orphanage Project

This humanitarian project supports a local orphanage in developing self-sufficiency in fresh vegetable supply, as well as improving its economic basis. The project focuses on assisting the orphanage, in its new privatized position, to develop on its premises a greenhouse production unit. The project is being professionally assisted by the resident Israeli horticulture expert, providing both technical and training services. It is operated by the children and staff of the orphanage. The project was jointly developed with Winrock International in Kazakhstan, under MASHAV/USAID program for the Central Asian Republics (CAR).

Wetlands Management Activities

Part of the MASHAV-USAID/CA cooperation program, this project demonstrates the application of integrated management principles for supporting economic growth in a wetland area, in an environmentally and socially sound manner. The demonstration takes place in the delta region on the Eastern Shore of the Aral Sea where the Syr Darya River ends, and includes aquaculture (in the Lake Kambash region), forestry (in Aralsk and Akpai), dune stabilization (in Bogen), rural tourism (consultancy services to local NGOs and Oblast Administration), water conservation and water management (in Akpai) and support of local NGOs and civil society buildup projects.

MASHAV activity in this field is closely coordinated with other donor projects in the region, such as that of the UNDP.

Kyrgyzstan

Self-Supporting Humanitarian Orphanage Project

This humanitarian project supports a local orphanage in developing self-sufficiency in fresh dairy supply, as well as to improve its economic basis. The project focuses on assisting the orphanage to develop on its premises a dairy production unit. The project is being professionally assisted by the Israeli resident dairy expert, providing both technical and training services. It is operated by the children and staff of the orphanage and provides a better food basket and additional income.

The project was jointly developed with Winrock International in Kyrgyzstan for the Jalalabad Children's Orphanage, under the MASHAV/USAID program for the Central Asian Republics (CAR).

Dairy Cattle Husbandry - Sokuluk Demonstration Project

The project, which began operating in 1998, is governed by the idea that private ownership of dairy farms will improve both quality and quantity of the milk and greatly increase the commercial benefits of the individual farm, based on promoting private farming and entrepreneurship in rural areas.

This project supports the establishment of a sustainable, private dairy farm managed by its female owner in her capacity as promoter and head of the family farm. The management of the project was assisted by the participation of its owner in the training course on Agribusiness Development held in Israel in 1997 under the CDP Program.

Field Crops and Irrigation - Belovodsk Agricultural Project

The project is part of demonstration farm activities reflecting promotion and development of private commercial farming, and is operated within a former sovkhoz which has been transformed into a private agribusiness enterprise for tree nursery production. The project is managed by a female manager, operating the farm as a private cooperative of the families involved. The project aims to demonstrate high quality production, and improved technologies, including upgrading of existing infrastructures and business management.

Field Crops and Irrigation - MIC Demonstration Project

The MIC Project, a government farm that became one of the largest and most advanced cooperative farms in the CIS, demonstrates modern methods of growing and management, particularly in field crops and vegetables. The MIC farm, through the demonstration project, introduced modern methods of irrigation and water management. In addition, the cooperative management system underwent a revolution, and every branch went over to independent management, under a general manager.

Output and quality of the product, as well as vegetable shelf life, increased as a result of the modern and more efficient methods. The project serves as a center for demonstrations and workshops for farmers from all over Kyrgyzstan, and exports high value crops to CIS countries.

New varieties that better fulfill the market demands for field crops and vegetables have been introduced. The MIC Farm serves as a seed farm, developing and marketing Israeli seed varieties to farmers in Kyrgyzstan. In this way, crop output increases and the quality of the produce also improves.

The MIC Farm has the potential to become a national center for demonstrations and training.

The project is part of the MASHAV/USAID program designed for the Central Asian Republics (CAR).

Ukraine

Intensive Care Unit Project

Israel completed construction on an ICU donated to the Institute of Therapy in Kharkov. The project included donations of all necessary technology and extensive training of hospital staff.

Biological Drainage

Part of the new MASHAV-USAID/CAR cooperation program, this project demonstrates the use of forestry methods to solve flooding an other high water table problems in the Ferghana Valley and Karakalpak in Uzbekistan.

A demonstration project was designed as a pilot, with the added advantage of utilizing the forestry products for improving the livelihood of residents. The project has two elements:

1. "Classic" bio-drainage in the Ferghana Valley and by the Syr Darya River: Commercial Forestry plantations on sites that were previously used for traditional agriculture, where the ground- water table is on the rise and shows initial signs of salinization. This high groundwater can effectively support the trees, thus becoming a resource rather than a problem, saving the need for irrigation, the major cause of the water logging and salt build-up.

2. Reclamation plantations at severely salinity and high-groundwater affected sites in the vicinity of Kokand in the Ferghana Valley. At this site the primary goal is to reverse the environmentally degrading trend and thus render the site productive.

Dairy Cattle Husbandry - Akurgan Agricultural Demonstration Project

The project's goals are the modernization of dairy farming, combining management improvements to the central dairy farm at Akurgan, as well as the development of two model family dairy farms. The activities of the project focus on improving feeding systems, marketing and overall dairy management practices including by establishment of a miny-dairy processing unit.

The project, and in particular the two model family dairy farms, demonstrate a successful and sustainable farm unit and have raised the interest of the Ministry of Agriculture and financing institutions to promote and support this type of development at the national level.(More...)

Dairy Cattle Husbandry - Kibrai Agricultural Demonstration Project

The project is a further expansion of the Akurgan dairy family farm development, and involves the initiative of the Kibrai authorities and various new private dairy farms in the vicinity to formulate a privately operated commercial undertaking.

The farmers are the shareholders of the project, financing the construction of the processing unit and at the same time being provided with technical and professional extension and other advisory services. This project, along with other family farm developments, demonstrates possibilities of market-oriented developments of former kolkhozes and sovkhozes transformed into economically sound family dairy businesses.

Public Health Nursing: Education and Leadership Training

This activity is a part of the new cooperation program between MASHAV and USAID/CAR, and is aimed at developing and expanding clinical, administrative, and leadership roles and enhancing the professional status of the community health nurse in the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan. The program aims to achieve improvements in the quality of health care, education, and counseling at primary health care delivery points, focusing on training two groups of nurses: selected nurse leaders and Staff Nurses. Nurse leaders include nurse educators, the Oblast Chief Nurse, the rayon chief nurses, and the head nurses from the primary health care practices in the pilot rayons of Yazzevan, Quva, and Besharik. Staff nurses will be targeted according to specific criteria including position occupied.

Regional Program in Agribusiness Development

This program is a part of the new cooperation between MASHAV and USAID/CAR. Activities aim at providing support structures for the development of a profitable, sound, modern small and medium-sized agri-business sector in Central Asia. This project builds on previous work conducted by MASHAV under the CDP, consisting of:

1) Pilot farms that demonstrate technical aspects of modern production.

2) Agribusiness consulting centers that give advice to farmers on business planning and development.

The agribusiness consulting centers organize and carry out training and professional workshops. They are fully equipped with international communication means, in order to provide access to professional and commercial information for local businessmen and entrepreneurs of the agricultural sector. The centers also provide assistance in the preparation of business plans for the raising of capital from local and international funding institutions. The services of the centers are highly in demand by the emerging private sector and agribusiness initiatives. The centers activities are complementary to government programs in this field.

Kazakhstan

Focusing on the Atyrau Region, a MASHAV resident expert and his local staff provide consulting services to pilot farms and greenhouses, answering the market need for locally-produced high quality fresh vegetables to supply the large population of petroleum workers. A profitable agricultural sector would provide an alternative to produce imports, thereby diversifying the economy and providing an alternative livelihood to the poaching of endangered sturgeons.

This activity is implemented in close cooperation with other donors, such as the UNDP and TengizChevrOil (TCO), and the Oblast Ministry of Agriculture. MASHAV-USAID Agribusiness consulting centers also operate in Almaty, Astana, Chimkent and Kzylorda.

Kyrgyzstan

The consulting activity supports the demonstration farms located near Bishkek. The farms, managed by local farmers, demonstrate commercial production of highvalue crops using modern equipment and environmentally sound, cost-effective irrigation systems. Consulting activities also assist other farmers from the Bishkek, Osh and Chulpan-Ata regions, interested in such production in planning, financing and implementing similar systems.

Agribusiness consultation services are given in close cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture and other donors and organizations that provide agricultural credits to Kyrgyz farmers, such as KAFC (Kyrgyz Agricultural Financial Corporation), Mercy Corps , PRAGMA, IFDC etc.

Uzbekistan

The Kibrai and Akurgan dairy demonstration projects are the focus sites in Uzbekistan. Those projects are good examples of how farmers can cooperatively process and market their respective products more effectively than on an individual basis. Farmers involved in the project, using the profits from dairy production, have also invested in other enterprises such as greenhouse production of vegetables and manufacturing ice cream cones.

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