"Bai Alai" Small Business and Income Creation in Alai and Chon-Alai

Rural population, with a special attention on women and youth, and more broadly rural households, in their role as livestock owners (more than 90% of households), potential and already active tourism service providers, handicraft makers and/or beekeepers.

Local cooperatives and business associations.

Lead firms, microfinance institutes and advisory service providers.

Municipal, district and province administrations and councils. 

1) Local producers and entrepreneurs, including women and youth, increase sales within the selected value chains; and

2) Sustainable local business support structures provide services available to all producers and entreprenerus within selected value chains, including women and youth. 

Resultados previstos:  

To achieve the overall goal and outcomes, the project will put its focus during the second phase on the following most promising value chains in Alai and Chon-Alai disctricts: i) cattle; ii) apiculture; iii) tourism; and iv) handicraft. The expected outputs in these value chains are:

1) Productivity increased;

2) Quality standards introduced and enhanced;

3) Market access established for producres and entrepreneurs, including women and youth;

4) Advisory services offer adapted to local needs, including for woment and youth;

5) Financial products are adjusted to local conditions, including for women and youth; and

6) Local business support dialogue fora are strengthened and include both men and women. 

Resultados de las fases anteriores:   During Phase 1, the Bai Alai Project enabled 1'829 households to increase their income by USD 300 or 15.20% average (benfitting an estimated 11'000 people or 10-11% of the residing population) by facilitating the production and marketing of goods at improved qualitiy and/or quantity such as cashmere, livestock, vegetables, eggs, honey, fruits, handicrafts, bakery products and carpentry. The project success was rated moderately satisfactory provided that despite the positive results, it missed its targets. However, it has to be noted that Phase 1 of the project was implemented in a very challenging environment for the country's economy (accession of Kyrgyzstan to the Eurasian Economic Union and the political and economic opening of Uzbekistan). The capacity and knowledge built with producers and entreprenueurs as well as the partnerships and structures estbalished with key market players and stakeholders such as cooperatives, the Alai business Women Association, the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) network of Alai, pasture user committees and others, will ensure sustainability and long-term effects of the interventions. 

SDC-(co-)funded Sustainable Economic Development project (implemented by GIZ) and Public Service Improvement Project (on local economic development and local governance).

SECO-funded Small Business Initiative (on business advisory services), Trade Promotion project (on market linkages) and planned project on winter tourism.

Aga Khan Foundation subsidiaries First MicroFinance Company and the Accelerator for Prosperity (on access to finance). 

Fase 2 01.06.2018 - 31.05.2022   (Completed)