Kompanion Development.Pdf

Kompanion’s development mission is to contribute to the strengthening of communities through sustainable development. Kompanion works to achieve this mission through the following three objectives: • To assist communities with natural resources management through the transfer of best practices and knowledge • To use science-based, ethno-ecological approaches to deliver development services • To integrate financial and development products and services to improve livelihoods Kompanion Development Objectives Kompanion’s development mission and objectives are designed to give a clear vision to the multiple approaches through which Kompanion assists in the development of households and communities in Kyrgyzstan. The heart of the mission is to strengthen communities, and sustainable development is the methodology Kompanion uses to accomplish this. Strengthening communities means taking a broad, integrated view of communities as a whole and working within these communities to help them determine their interests and further the development of their civil societies. Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future gen- erations to meet their own needs.” This includes the ecological sustainability of the community (e.g. preservation, protection, and sustainable use of natural resources) and the economic sustainability of the community (e.g. the ability to retain population and to enable economically viable livelihoods for the population). Furthermore, to strengthen communities, Kompanion focuses its development efforts at the household level. Households are the basis of any community, so individual households must become economically and environmentally sustainable for the community as a whole to become sustainable. Likewise, households are rarely found in isolation, therefore the community must also be an economically and environmentally sound basis in which the household pursues livelihood activities. Kompanion Development Initiatives Kompanion’s development work is accomplished by delivering development services. Kompanion offers its clients and potential clients information on how to take advantage of low external input technologies (LEIT)— agricultural, production, marketing, and business techniques that require minimal amounts of physical and financial capital but that lead to increased incomes, higher yields, increased production, and food security. This means that Kompanion assists households with management of their home gardens and with caring for and making decisions about their livestock. This also means that Kompanion assists communities with management of their common assets including summer and winter pastures and water resources. Instead of tackling the immense task of providing individually tailored information to each of its clients, Kompanion targets its development approach through initiatives. Initiatives allow Kompanion to pilot ideas and approaches. Kompanion then takes these successful approaches and delivers them to the wider client base and communities in which Kompanion works. In November 2009, the Development Department was formally established to work on initiatives targeting community needs. In 2010, Kompanion formulated the initiatives that are within the five main directions that focus on strengthening communities. I. Food Security II. Waste Management III. Soil Conservation IV. Livestock Management V. Eco-homestead I. Food Security 1. Eco-Garden Initiative Objectives: Improve gardening skills Promote and organize home garden production and proper storage Goal : of produce To promote the improve- Increase skills and knowledge in planning and managing the household budget ment of food security Introduce and promote low external input technologies to increase through the transfer of households' income-earning potential from their home gardens knowledge and best practices of home garden Background and Progress: production based on The Eco-Garden initiative provides communities with technical assistance scientific and ethno- and training on how to manage their land in order to develop high quality ecological approaches. organic fruit from home gardens, market fruit production and increase their income source. Key Results: In 2010, the Technical Support Unit (TSU) conducted 255 sessions for 5,944 clients and interested members of the community on agricultural topics that include: thinning of fruit trees, apple sorting and storage, preparing gardens for winter and household budgeting for increased income generation. As part of the Apple Project, the “Apple Festival” was launched in 2006. The concept is continued under the Eco - Garden initiative and every year since then the Apple Festival celebrates the efforts and achieve- ments of gardeners to become the leading producers of organic fruit in Kyrgyzstan. In October 2010, "The Fifth “Annual Apple Festival” took place in the Kochkor Village of Naryn region. The event attracted 400 people from more than 40 villages of the Issyk-Kul and Naryn regions and promoted horticulture and market efficiency to strengthen the capacity of local communities to produce and sell high quality apples. With the success and demand for this initiative, Kompanion plans in 2011 to conduct the Eco-Garden training in Talas, Jalal-Abad, Karakol, Osh, Batken, Balykchy, Naryn, and Chui regions. I. Food Security 2. “Garden in a Box” Initiative Objectives: Increase knowledge and skills on effective use of home gardens for cultivation of organic production Increase of knowledge and skills on household budgeting Introduce effective and low external input technologies to enhance household income from their home gardens Promote wise use of gardens, keeping in mind a year round use of production and the economic impact on household budget Goal: To promote and improve food security at the household level through improved nutritional practices that help families to improve their nutrition and access to food all year Background and Progress: round. Nutrition and food security are the aims of the “Garden in a Box” initiative, which helps families to learn about proper nutrition and to plan necessary foods to have year round. A complete "Garden in a Box" design and mockup was developed to serve as the demo garden for the training. In the training, participants receive training on household budget and nutrition, household plot planning, soil preparation and fertilizers, training on planting seeds, irrigation, plant pests and disease control, and on harvesting, sorting, drying, and storage of food. Key Results: In April 2010, training was provided for 57 clients, 20 loan officers and 50 households in Talas and Isfana. The participants gained knowledge on planting, harvesting, water- ing and on how to manage their small land efficiently . The Talas and Isfana offices dedicated a small plot of land at their offices for training and demonstration. The office staff successfully planted their crops and donated their harvest to local orphanages. In the “Garden in a Box” initiative, Kompanion will provide training for interested clients and participants on how to select and use locally adapted seeds of agricultural crops necessary for a balanced nutritional diet. In 2011, the “Garden in a Box” training will take place in the communities of the Talas, Kerben, Osh, Chui and Isfana regions. I. Food Security 3. Greenhouse Initiative Objectives: Teach participants to grow greens and herbs that are necessary for balanced nutrition Provide recipes and teach participants to cook various dishes using plants grown in their greenhouses Introduce effective storage methods Goal : The goal of this initiative is Background and Progress: to demonstrate low-cost The Greenhouse Initiative is intended to raise the awareness among house- technologies for crop holds of the importance of balanced nutrition by demonstrating how certain growing that are traditionally crops that are rich in nutrients and important for a diversified diet can be grown in high elevations. not planted in the region due to climate conditions but are necessary for complete nutrition. Key Results: The Greenhouse Initiative was piloted in April 2010, in the Sary Mogol village of Chon-Alai region. Trainings on “Strategic organization of the greenhouses” and “Planting and growing of plants” attracted 15 clients, 5 loan officers and 15 households. Follow up consultations and monitoring of progress provided by Kompanion agronomists in early August revealed great interest among the participants to organize the cultivation of vegetables in their backyards to secure crops for winter season. Based on the successful outcome of the initiative, Kompanion plans in 2011 to conduct training and to construct hoop gardens in the Kerben (Ak-Kayin, Chatkal), Osh (Sary Mogol, Chon Alai) and in Naryn (At-Bashy) regions. I. Food Security 4. Cellar Initiative Objectives: Introduce low cost technologies in construction and repair of cellars Increase households' knowledge and skills on proper cellar use and proper food storage. Background and Progress: This initiative was launched Goal : in 2009, when the need Improve households’ skills arose to provide advice to and knowledge on effective clients receiving loans for and safe methods of agricul- construction and repair of tural production storage that their home cellars. The aim provides food security for of the Cellar Initiative is to families. link cellar trainings with other trainings that are provided in conjunction with other food security

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