To ensure food security in Kyrgyzstan, USAID launched Markaz Joint Agro Initiative Project (MJAI), bringing together several implement-

ers to maximize the impact and leverages on a local development project focused on rehabilitation of abandoned land in Markaz rural municipality, Batken Oblast, Southern Kyrgyzstan.

Kyrgyz Agro-Input Enterprise Development Project allocated $ 20 000 for restoration of soil fertility, implementing seeding and growing barley

-der crops on 1 ha of land. KAED II agricultural specialists used integrated approach demonstrating the possibility to get high crops from abandoned lands through involving advanced growing techniques, new seed varieties, timely application of insecticides and fertilizers and irrigation.

MARKAZ JOINT AGRO INITIATIVE PROJECT

KAED II has worked closely with local government (Ail Ok-motu), making sure that the local community plays an ac-

with farmers on cost share basis, where KAED invested $ 17,123, and farmers invested $ 7,244.

Over 20 people including farmers and their families worked on 35 ha to collect and remove stones, apply fertilizers, ir-

hay was collected on September the 20th in the amount of 3,950 bales of hay in total. For 2009 from 35 hectares of earlier unused stony arable land tenants received 1,221,500 KGS ($ 28,407) of income.

In the next 3-4 years tenants will get 800 alfalfa hay bales from a hectare or 28,000 bales from the total area and 1,960,000 KGS

approximately 40,500 KGS annually by renting out those plots of land to the farmers.

T -sive results of this activity could be also observed during MJAI study tour organized by USAID in August 2009 and aimed at presenting the results of MJAI Project to the rural authorities

with detailed description of steps taken for implementation of the project. USAID’s successful implementation of MJAI project will serve as a model for other rural municipalities to adopt the