OVCD

Organic Value Chain Development Project (OVCD)

The Organic Value Chain Development Project started its acivities in Spitamen and J.Rasulov rayons of Sughd oblast in the Republic of Tajikistan within the inception phase of 2009. In these areas water is not a limiting factor for farming and cropping scheme with 50% cotton or less in the rotation are possible. An extensive livestock production or the access to organic fertilisers (manure) are assets.  Eventual prolongation for phase I of 2010-2012 is upon assesment of the inception phase.

Project objectives:

In a long term perspective, the objective of the project is a ‘system change in the Tajik farming sector (particularly in cotton), allowing farmers to increase their incomes and improve livelihoods in a sustainable way through alternative value chains'.

 What is organic agriculture?

Organic agriculture includes all system that promotes the environmentally, socially and economically sound production of food and fibres. These systems take local soil fertility as a key to successful production. By respecting the natural capacity of plants, animals and the landscape, it aims to optimise quality in all aspects of agriculture and the environment. Organic agriculture dramatically reduces external inputs by refraining from the use of chemo-synthetic fertilisers and pesticides and pharmaceuticals. Instead it allows the powerful laws of nature to increased both agricultural yields and disease resistances.

 What is certification?

Consumers increasingly are concerned about the way, food and fibres are produced. Many of them are ready to pay more for a certified organic product. Certified thereby means, all operators of a value chain apply an international acknowledged standard for organic commodities, which prescribes in detail production, processing and trade. Once a year, they undergo an internal and external control in order to become certified. In the case of cotton, a transition period of three years is needed until fibre, oil and cake can be sold as certified organic.

What is a value chain?

A value chain is a set of producers, processors, traders and distributors of a particular product. Enterprises are linked by a series of contract based business transactions in which the product is passed on from producers to consumers.

 How to develop value chains and access organic markets?

The Organic Value Chain Development project:

• Links small scale producers to markets while promoting products with a comparative advantage;
• Invests in research and development, particularly in production, processing and market research;
• Works through local partners (value chain supporters) while strengthening at the same time their human and organisational capacities;
• Arranges for a network among peer projects and specialists in organic farming, processing and trade;
• Does not pay any subsidies, since once organic markets are accessed the operators will get a better price for their certified organic product.

Particularly the OVCD encourages progressive farmers to grow cotton and alternative crops organically and enter certification. Further, carefully selects international buyers and arrange for contractual relationships.

Through NGOs, extension services and research institutes the OVCD:

• arranges on-farm-research, in order to figure out and demonstrate (economic) effects of organic fertilising or crop regulation means;
• trains farmers and subsequent value chain actors in certified organic production and trade;
• establishes an internal control system;
• links the Tajik value chain operators with an international accredited certifying organisation.

 Partners:

The main partners of the project are:

• Sughd Agroserv;
• NGO ASDP Nau;
• NGO Saodat;
• Agricultural Information Network (AIN);
• NGO Zarzamin;
• Research stations in Northern Tajikistan;
• CECI FARMS project.

 OVCD in brief:

 How to contact us:

Republic of Tajikistan, Khujand
tel.:  +992 (3422) 62413 
mob.:  +992 (92) 7732515 
e-mail: lmdsugd@tajik.net