Second International Agribusiness Investment Forum
TAFF together with the EU Delegation in Tajikistan organized the Second International Agribusiness Investment Forum on October 18th and 19th 2011 in Dushanbe.
This year's Forum entitled “Connecting to Compete” aimed to present investment opportunities in Tajikistan and better connect the country with key foreign stakeholders in agribusiness to boost its competitiveness. More than 300 participants visited the event, including companies and Forum speakers from France, the UK, Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Algeria, Germany, Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan and Russia.
Plenary session with participation (from the right) of Ulf Hindström, EBRD Representative in Tajikistan; Murodaly Alimardon, Deputy Prime Minister, His Excellency Eduard Auer, EU Ambassador; Kosim Kosimov, Minister of Agriculture and Fatma Dirkes, Head of International Advisory Services at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.
As in 2010, the Forum combined general presentations on the evolution and prospects of Tajik agribusiness with workshops on specific topics and sub-sectors, such as fruit, vegetable and animal production, as well as field visits to farmers and processors applying innovative technologies. In addition, an exhibition of the products and services offered by the participants, both Tajik or foreign, was organized at the Forum venue.
The highlight of the Forum was the unannounced visit of the British Minister of State for International Development Alan Duncan who delivered a key note on Tajik agriculture as well as the problems and opportunities inherent in it. During his stay in Tajikistan, Mr. Duncan had a chance to learn more about Tajik agriculture and rural issues through field visits to see the joint work between TAFF, GIZ and DFID on the cotton technical assistance groups.
During the first day of the Forum participants had an opportunity to get insights into the current development of the agricultural sector in Tajikistan, including the progress in terms of tax and land reform especially relevant and urgently needed for agricultural sector development and access to finance of rural farmers. The high level speakers, both representatives of the government, the private sector as well as the donor community, stressed the importance of the reforms. In the afternoon on the 18th field visits were organised.
Field visit to pilot orchard in Gissar
On the second day the intensive discussions from the fields moved to the seminar rooms, where participants had a chance to exchange experiences on introducing new agronomic technologies, better field practices when producing cotton, fruits, vegetables as well as animal production. Moreover, workshop topics such as better connecting Tajik producers to modern off-takes and new forms of agribusiness finance attracted a lot of participants.
Workshop on introduction of new agronomic technologies
For more information, please download the Programme of the Forum here
18th October: Plenary sessions
D.Saidov C.Cordonnier Z.Khakimov R.Khalikov A.Petrosyan C.Garcia
19th October: Morning
1.group: Introduction of new agronomic technologies in Tajikistan
K.Oka A. Rubio G.Bonati S.Odinashoev
2.group: Putting more value in cotton
L.Kaelin F.Pillonel,A.Buisson N.Ashraf K.Fathidinov S.Kamolov
3.group:The pull force of the market
G.Walter S.Bazarov M.Suleymanova
4.group: New forms of agriculture and agribusiness finance
A. Valikhanova G.Ojnarov A.Marufi S.Weber
19th October: Afternoon
1.group: cotton and major crops
L. Kaelin A. Shapovalov P. Gialamas I. Luit U. Boturov
2. group: pn fruit and vineyards
3. group: on vegetables and niche products
4. group: on animal production
C. Cordonnier G. Yakubov G.Charbonnier K.Valeev
First International Agribusiness Forum 19-20 October 2010
In cooperation with the EU, EBRD and the IFC, and in coordination with the State Committee on Investments and State Property Management of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, TAFF organised the First International Agribusiness Investment Forum which took place on 19th and 20th of October in Dushanbe.
The event gathered more than 350 stakeholders from the government, the donor community and local and international enterprises involved in agribusiness. Among foreign stakeholders not yet present in Tajikistan were EMKAT, Greek-based seed producer; Geha Food, Austrian investor tomato-paste producer; Davodeau-Ligonniere and Pépinières du Valois, company engaged in genetics and production of fruit trees; Florimond Desprez, Jouffray Drillaud, working in genetics and producing seeds for cereals, oil seeds, alfalfa, sugar and fodder roots; Nutristar International and Nutristar Algeria, producers of premixes for animal food; Richel (plastic greenhouses); MSM, Turkish certification laboratory accredited with Russian GOST and Western sanitary agencies; FNCUMA, the French Federation of Cooperatives of Agricultural Machinery; FruNut, a 100 million USD Russian trading company for dried fruits and nuts; Sureau Agriculture, a French company involved in trading of agricultural machinery and many others.
The programme of the Forum (click here) combined presentations of the international organisations and agribusiness processing companies with field visits to different enterprises, where participants could learn more about the potential ofthe Tajik agribusiness sector. During the workshops on several cross-cutting issues participants could discuss such crucial and complex questions as how to develop the export of agricultural products in Tajikistan or how to develop financing of the agro-food sector in the country.
Overall, the event provided a perfect networking opportunity for different stakeholders also bringing together foreign investors with local partners and proved the strong potential of Tajikistan’s agribusiness sector. The most important findings of the fruitful discussions as well as informative lectures of the sector specialists will be published in a Tajik Agri-business Investment Yearbook, also to be available for download, in English and Russian in the nearest future.