How has your experience with SGP influenced your view of UNDP's work in countries? And why and how is SGP's support of local-level, small-scale, community-based initiatives important for UNDP's mandate and objectives (in-country and globally)?
"SGP support at the grass roots level is critical for the overall UNDP country programme, - both in Uzbekistan and globally. This is because SGP projects provide the testing ground for innovation and piloting that can be scaled up to a larger level. Secondly, SGP provides the critical, evidence-based, on the ground experience that is essential for UNDP to develop more large scale and comprehensive programmatic interventions. Third, all of SGP's interventions are people-centered and link the critical three pillars of sustainable development. They therefore contribute UNDP's mandate on sustainable human development. In Uzbekistan, where there is an absence of an independent civil society, SGP is one of the few players working with communities in the country."
Please discuss SGP in the context of UNDP's commitment to sustainable development and its social, economic, and environmental pillars.
"SGP projects in Uzbekistan are playing an important role in contributing to the practical implementation of an integrated approach to development. In addition to promoting sustainable use of natural resources, SGP projects are also improving the livelihoods of communities, bringing them economic and social benefits. We have numerous examples of projects, e.g. in the areas of biogas technology, introducing micro hydro power stations as an alternative energy source for community needs, pistachio plantations as the most profitable land use alternative (in the arid foothills of Uzbekistan), all of which demonstrate environment, social and economic benefits to communities."
The SGP National Coordinator (NC) is often an important liaison with civil society and grassroots organizations and actors, among others. How has the role of the NC been significant for UNDP?
"With a keen understanding of the local context, the sustainable development challenges and with strong outreach to the communities, the NC has played a critical role in ensuring delivering the results for SGP and UNDP in the country, in linking up with UNDP's overall portfolio and in advocating for sustainable low cost solutions to address a range of sustainable development issues at the community levels."
