The main focus of the project aims on protection of environment, conservation of agro-biodiversity, supporting initiatives directed on development of social businesses such as gathering of medical herbs and their promotion on markets, demonstration of inexpensive innovative methods on installation of hedgerows for protection of land plots to cultivate fruit trees, drying and storage of fruits, improvement of livelihood situation of local communities based on the principles of sustainable development, development of information, education and communication materials with the aim to train and share knowledge and best practices on the conservation of agro-biodiversity among youth of Rasht valley for the purpose of reducing pressure on natural resources.
Current time, Public Charity Organization ?Skills and Prosperity? is implementing the project ?Skill Up! Up-scaling employment opportunities for the youth in Rasht valley? with the aim of training and employment of vulnerable youth in 4 targeted districts of Rasht valley: Rasht, Sangvor, Tojikobod and Lakhsh districts. The project is financed by Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ) through Welthungerhilfe Tajikistan (known as German Agro Action). Period of project implementation is October 2020 ? April 2023.
Within the framework of the project it is planned to train middle-skilled professions to 750 young uneducated and unemployed women and men aged 15-35 and increase their opportunities to be (self-) employed or set up own business. Using the opportunities of the current project, PCO ?Skills and Prosperity? intends to raise the awareness of the project beneficiaries on the conservation of agro-biodiversity and environmental issues.
The project plans to work with existing social businesses in Rasht district, Jamoat Qalanak and in Tojikobod disrtict, Jamoat Qal'ai Labi Ob, which are engaged in gathering herbs and plants, such as Coltsfoot, nettle, black cumin, sea buckthorn, clover, plantain, hypericum, worm-wood, chicory, ferule, rhubarb, coriander, henna, oregano, chamomile, yurga, walnut, carnation, barberry, aloe, rhodiola rosea and producing medical drugs on their basis.
The further task of the project is to organize a demonstration plot of land for the purpose of using inexpensive innovative green technology to protect fruit trees from livestock harm through installation of hedgerows of new rosehip varieties, Shahlo and Gulbutt?, Pavlovnia, which are resistant to various diseases, grow well on rain-fed land and bear good fruits, drying and storage of fruits by using local dryers, introduction of technologies for collection, retention and using rainwater for irrigation of fruit trees.